1
: in a close manner or relationship
nearly related
2
a
: almost but not quite
nearly identical
nearly a year later
b
: to the least extent
not nearly as good as we expected
Examples of nearly in a Sentence
I see her nearly every day.
We lived there for nearly two years.
Nearly all of us got sick that weekend.
Recent Examples on the Web
Poised to make his 49ers debut is rookie fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins, who nearly collided in warmups Thursday with Skyy Moore in Moore’s return from a one-day hiatus (ankle injury).
—
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Sunflower sea stars—large predators that feed on sea urchins—were particularly vulnerable, losing nearly 90 percent of their pre-pandemic population in northern waters.
—JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025
Tempo could help wear them out, as the Giants have pressured the quarterback on nearly 46% of their defensive snaps when Carter, Burns and Thibodeaux are on the field at the same time, according to Next Gen Stats.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
Do is the first OC supervisor to be criminally convicted in nearly half a century and was one of the leading Vietnamese American politicians in the county.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
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Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Sunflower sea stars—large predators that feed on sea urchins—were particularly vulnerable, losing nearly 90 percent of their pre-pandemic population in northern waters.
—JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025
Tempo could help wear them out, as the Giants have pressured the quarterback on nearly 46% of their defensive snaps when Carter, Burns and Thibodeaux are on the field at the same time, according to Next Gen Stats.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
Do is the first OC supervisor to be criminally convicted in nearly half a century and was one of the leading Vietnamese American politicians in the county.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nearly. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nearly
adverb
near·ly
ˈni(ə)r-lē 
1
: in a close manner or relationship
nearly related
2
: almost but not quite
nearly the same
nearly missed the train
3
: to the least extent
not nearly enough
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