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
Ari Lauer pleaded guilty in October 2025 to 23 counts of fraud in the case of DC solar, a Benicia company that served as a front for a nearly $1 billion Ponzi scheme that duped major corporations and sophisticated investors including Berkshire Hathaway chair Warren Buffett.
—
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Lebanon has been pulled deep into the war in the Middle East since Hezbollah opened fire to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, igniting an Israeli offensive which has killed nearly 500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities − with the death toll rising by around 100 a day.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Oil prices whipped from nearly $120 per barrel, their highest since 2022, back toward $90.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Earlier in the school year, BPS officials highlighted gains in chronic absenteeism — defined as students missing 10% or more of school days a year — across nearly all grade levels and student groups in the 2024-25 year from the previous year.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
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Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Lebanon has been pulled deep into the war in the Middle East since Hezbollah opened fire to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, igniting an Israeli offensive which has killed nearly 500 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities − with the death toll rising by around 100 a day.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Oil prices whipped from nearly $120 per barrel, their highest since 2022, back toward $90.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Earlier in the school year, BPS officials highlighted gains in chronic absenteeism — defined as students missing 10% or more of school days a year — across nearly all grade levels and student groups in the 2024-25 year from the previous year.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nearly. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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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