just barely (do something)

When you succeed in doing something but come really close to failing, you can say that you "just barely" did it. In the example:

I just barely made it back in time to return the car

...you did return the car on time but you almost did it too late. Another example:

I took French in high school, but I just barely passed it.

This means that you got a low grade which was passing, but close to failing.

This phrase appears in these lessons: