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
According to Belfast Harbour, the city is set to welcome nearly 150 cruise ship visits in 2025, representing 31 different cruise lines.
—
David Nikel, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
More optimistically, with effective regulatory measures, growth could accelerate to 9-10%, pushing revenues to nearly $20 billion.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2025
And year-to-date revenue is now up nearly 16 percent over 2024.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 4 May 2025
In the past century, Venice has subsided by around 25 centimeters, or nearly 10 inches.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
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David Nikel, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
More optimistically, with effective regulatory measures, growth could accelerate to 9-10%, pushing revenues to nearly $20 billion.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2025
And year-to-date revenue is now up nearly 16 percent over 2024.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 4 May 2025
In the past century, Venice has subsided by around 25 centimeters, or nearly 10 inches.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 May 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 7 May. 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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