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

Where a chorus should hit, nearly everything drops out, leaving behind those drums to face off against the steady, impersonal rumble of a sub-bass. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

And on Wednesday, Bos and nearly 1,400 other people were laid off from their jobs at what had been the Navistar truck factory in southwestern Ohio. — Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

According to a new report on eating patterns in America by market research company Circana, nearly half of US adults are actively trying to consume more protein, from bars to whey powder to chicken breasts night after night. — Emily Laurence Sardinha, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Oct. 2026

The move is expected to help manage rising energy costs in the region and save Wisconsin utility customers nearly $300 million in fuel expenses. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 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