nearly

adverb

near·​ly ˈnir-lē 

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

Synonyms of nearly

• closely

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

The Seahawks used that coverage on nearly 50% of its defensive snaps in the Super Bowl, the highest rate Maye saw all season. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026

For the European Central Bank, interest rate markets have priced in a nearly 99% probability of a rate hike. — CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026

When the ball was on target, not only was it was caught, but receivers produced nearly 60 percent of Iowa’s pass yards after the catch. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

John Sipher spent nearly three decades at the CIA focused on the Russians, a core part of the agency's mission. — Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nearly

• nearly gave someone a heart attack
• not nearly
• pretty near/nearly

Rhymes for nearly

• clearly
• dearly
• merely
• queerly
• yearly
• austerely
• severely
• sincerely
• cavalierly

Kids 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