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2
as in almost
very close to but not completely
I nearly fell down the stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nearly
The trek stretched nearly 40 shows, and while the group hasn’t revealed much about the future of Rilo Kiley, the reunion will stretch into at least 2026, with a pair of Barcelona gigs (including at the Primavera Sound festival) already booked.
—
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
Currently, nearly 60,000 people are being held by ICE, almost half have no criminal record, only immigration violations.
—ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Lomo saltado, a uniquely Peruvian steak stir-fry, which traditionally comes with French fries, is plated with the fries hidden beneath tender meat and onions, soaking up all the flavorful drippings and making an accompanying portion of fluffy white rice seem nearly unnecessary.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
The scoring was welcome, certainly, on a team that didn’t tickle the net until nearly eight minutes into it.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
Currently, nearly 60,000 people are being held by ICE, almost half have no criminal record, only immigration violations.
—ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Lomo saltado, a uniquely Peruvian steak stir-fry, which traditionally comes with French fries, is plated with the fries hidden beneath tender meat and onions, soaking up all the flavorful drippings and making an accompanying portion of fluffy white rice seem nearly unnecessary.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
The scoring was welcome, certainly, on a team that didn’t tickle the net until nearly eight minutes into it.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nearly
Adverb
-
The scientific case for exploration dates back many millions of years to continental drift when Greenland was believed to be closely connected to Norway and the British Isles.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
-
After the Supreme Court ruling, Holt said, the department changed its grooming policy to allow closely cropped beards.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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The Dancing With the Stars judging panel almost got through Wicked night without flying off the handle.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
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In September, a 130-unit building in Chicago’s South Shore was raided, with almost every one of the building’s residents — even children — being detained.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Recreate Witherspoon’s rich monochromatic look with these burgundy pants that are practically begging to be worn during holiday gatherings.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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With such a wide array of benefits and potential savings, an Amazon Prime membership will practically pay for itself.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nearly. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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