not nearly

phrase

: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just weeks ago in Chicago, one of us treated a heatstroke patient in an emergency department — notably on a day not nearly as sweltering as the heat wave hitting our city this week. Chuka Onuh, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 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 1 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster