not nearly
idiom
: much less than : not at all
There's not nearly enough flour for a cake here.
It's not nearly as late as I thought it was.
Examples of not nearly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Dodge Demon is a bit of an enigma, with most modern muscle cars not nearly as extreme in their quest for straight line acceleration.
—
Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Some independent experts and advocates say that's not nearly enough time to design and conduct a good-quality study that could produce a reliable answer.
—Carmel Wroth, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025
These are the same folks who kept Formula 1 out of downtown Miami, and might not care that Formula E’s not nearly as high maintenance as its FIA big brother.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
There are not nearly enough mental health services in the country.
—Sophal Ear, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not nearly
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Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Some independent experts and advocates say that's not nearly enough time to design and conduct a good-quality study that could produce a reliable answer.
—Carmel Wroth, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025
These are the same folks who kept Formula 1 out of downtown Miami, and might not care that Formula E’s not nearly as high maintenance as its FIA big brother.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
There are not nearly enough mental health services in the country.
—Sophal Ear, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not nearly
Cite this Entry
“Not nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20nearly. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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