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
The reality star dined at Tucci in New York City's Noho neighborhood on May 10 and allegedly refused to pay the nearly $1,000 bill, according to an onlooker, and disputed the bill with owner Max Tucci.
—
Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 17 May 2025
More: Armored vehicles and nearly 7,000 troops: A look at plans for military parade on Trump's birthday
Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy had thousands of troops at their inaugurations.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Cox’s campaign, however, gathered signatures to qualify for the Republican primary in June and flipped the outcome with voters, winning by nearly 40,000 votes.
—Annabella Rosciglione, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2025
So even though that has finally changed, his likely election day — via the Hall’s Classic Baseball Era Committee — is still nearly 1,000 days away.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
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Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 17 May 2025
More: Armored vehicles and nearly 7,000 troops: A look at plans for military parade on Trump's birthday
Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy had thousands of troops at their inaugurations.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Cox’s campaign, however, gathered signatures to qualify for the Republican primary in June and flipped the outcome with voters, winning by nearly 40,000 votes.
—Annabella Rosciglione, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2025
So even though that has finally changed, his likely election day — via the Hall’s Classic Baseball Era Committee — is still nearly 1,000 days away.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 16 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 20 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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