close shaves

plural of close shave
as in narrow escapes
a barely successful escape from something undesirable the passengers in the jeep had a close shave when a mine exploded just a few yards away

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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 close shaves Villa rely on its revenue to push their limits, so going another year on the outside will mean player sales, budget cuts and very, very close shaves with financial sanctions. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026 The Torreys are accustomed to, pun intended, close shaves. — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close shaves
close calls
Noun
  • For Natalia Sergienko, a humanitarian worker and the director of the Kherson Power of the South public organization, the past month brought two close calls.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But close calls like this, Mahdi says, are happening more often.
    — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Close shaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close%20shaves. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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