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 district has offered a 2% raise to one of its largest unions, which union leaders say is not nearly enough.
—
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
Polka dots are, obviously, not nearly as controversial a fashion choice as capris, but the pattern is also having a trendy moment of its own.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 22 June 2025
His sphere of influence was enormous, but not nearly as significant as his philanthropy.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 17 June 2025
There are tasks that humans are perfectly good at but are not nearly as fast as AI.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for not nearly
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Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
Polka dots are, obviously, not nearly as controversial a fashion choice as capris, but the pattern is also having a trendy moment of its own.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 22 June 2025
His sphere of influence was enormous, but not nearly as significant as his philanthropy.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 17 June 2025
There are tasks that humans are perfectly good at but are not nearly as fast as AI.
—Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 16 June 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 Jul. 2025.
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