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almost

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adjective

as in relative
being such only when compared to something else burdened with impossibly high expectations, the movie came to be regarded as an almost failure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of almost
Adverb
The enduring popularity of the long-running TV series and feature-film franchise with kids, teens, Gen Z and even Millennial fans would seem to make such intensive outreach almost unnecessary, perhaps even redundant. Justin Lowe, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025 But the changing of the guard that will result in Sheridan taking his services from Paramount to NBCUni is seismic all the same because his name brand is more valuable than almost any individual IP he’s created. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Orange County has paid more than $39 million worth of settlements in the almost year since the Airport fire broke out and destroyed more than 100 structures, according to county officials. Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025 Despite arguably kicking off the trend of internet shutdowns a decade ago with an almost year-long blackout in the western province of Xinjiang, China is not a frequent offender. James Griffiths, CNN, 9 Jan. 2020 See All Example Sentences for almost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for almost
Adverb
  • Vietnam’s Communist Party chief, To Lam, visited North Korea in early October — the first such trip in nearly two decades — while reports suggest Hanoi may pursue the purchase of 40 Russian Su-35 fighter jets.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Though the Maldives is the first country to enact such a ban, similar proposals have been debated – and nearly imposed – in other parts of the world.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Even a relative newcomer, Curtis, opposes eliminating the filibuster.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The majority of these labels favor more classic designs, but relative newcomer Laopu — launched in 2016 — has disrupted the market, blending 24-karat gold and diamonds with silhouettes and patterns inspired by Chinese tradition.
    Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Besides being one of the best ways to stay warm, puffer jackets are also unbelievably packable, much like this Eddie Bauer down jacket that has insulation for chilly days but can be folded or rolled to practically half its size.
    Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The key to detecting them, then, wasn’t to simply build a detector sensitive enough to see each individual neutrino; that would be a practically impossible task.
    Big Think, Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Curtis and Kirk were indeed to be found on opposite ends of virtually every hot-button cultural issue on which the latter made his name as a debater and provocateur.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
  • While the answers varied, virtually all agree the 50-year-old, relatively unchanged program needs some modernization and improvement.
    Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • In the first fight, Dern edged out two rounds to take a 29-28 decision, winning the first round fairly comfortably on the feet and outlanding Jandiroba 28-19.
    Brett Appley, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Yet over a decade later, the constitution remains provisional and there is no clear agreement on how the central government in Mogadishu shares power with Somalia’s seven member states—some of which operate fairly autonomously.
    Omar S Mahmood, Time, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Almost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/almost. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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