come close
idiom
1
: to almost do something
We didn't win, but we came close.
—often + toThe band came very close to breaking up.
We came close to winning the championship this season.
2
: to be similar to something or as good as expected
She said they taste just like real hot dogs, but they don't even come close (to the real thing).
Examples of come close in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The rarity of the Reagan-Thatcher relationship hasn’t been replicated, though some presidents have come close.
—
Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
Some, like the Rokid Glasses, come close—but they're consistently held back by technical shortcomings, clunky controls, and a lack of refinement.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Christian McCaffrey hasn’t come close to rushing for 100 yards in a game this season, despite toting the rock 108 times.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
The only other free agent third baseman who’d come close to filling his shoes is Eugenio Suarez, who hit 49 home runs for the Diamondbacks and Mariners this season but who is two years older at age 34 and worse defensively.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for come close
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.
Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
Some, like the Rokid Glasses, come close—but they're consistently held back by technical shortcomings, clunky controls, and a lack of refinement.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Christian McCaffrey hasn’t come close to rushing for 100 yards in a game this season, despite toting the rock 108 times.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
The only other free agent third baseman who’d come close to filling his shoes is Eugenio Suarez, who hit 49 home runs for the Diamondbacks and Mariners this season but who is two years older at age 34 and worse defensively.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for come close
Cite this Entry
“Come close.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20close. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share