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 stock, which several analysts say is wildly overvalued (with a market cap valuing it at around 100 times its annual revenue), has shot up nearly 600% from a year ago.
—
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Over 22,000 cases of Type 2 diabetes were documented during the nearly 40-year time period.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Originally, Evelyn would have been picked up nearly a mile away from her house on Lime Kiln Lane, a two-way road with no sidewalk surrounded by dense trees.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 7 Aug. 2025
The genre-bending rapper, who has long been revered for blending vulnerability and raw emotion into his music, is now offering an unflinching account of the mental health battles and drug addiction that nearly cost him his life—even at the height of his fame.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
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Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Over 22,000 cases of Type 2 diabetes were documented during the nearly 40-year time period.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Originally, Evelyn would have been picked up nearly a mile away from her house on Lime Kiln Lane, a two-way road with no sidewalk surrounded by dense trees.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 7 Aug. 2025
The genre-bending rapper, who has long been revered for blending vulnerability and raw emotion into his music, is now offering an unflinching account of the mental health battles and drug addiction that nearly cost him his life—even at the height of his fame.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 7 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 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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