close call

noun

: a narrow escape

Examples of close call in a Sentence

We nearly didn't get out of the burning building. It was a pretty close call, let me tell you! the doctor said I'd had a close call, and was lucky to be alive
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And last Friday, a Delta Air Lines flight departing the airport experienced a close call just after takeoff as four Air Force jets were headed toward a flyover at Arlington National Cemetary. Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2025 Mistakes, close calls, and momentum swings are the norm, not the exception. Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025 The close call, which was first reported by CNN, is the latest incident near Washington, as the nation’s capital reels from a January midair collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and Army Black Hawk helicopter near National Airport that killed all 67 people on board both aircraft. Sophia Vento, The Hill, 29 Mar. 2025 While this is a close call, Ultimate Rewards points are likely to be most useful for most people. Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for close call

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of close call was in 1881

Cite this Entry

“Close call.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20call. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

close call

noun
: a narrow escape
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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