as in narrow escape
a barely successful escape from something undesirable
a near miss with death prompted him to give up skydiving
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Recent Examples of near miss
Although hours before showtime the Nashville skies looked dark and ominous, rap superstar Nelly was able to finally take the stage in Middle Tennessee after two near misses at Bonnaroo.
—
Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Sep. 2025
How Mondo Duplantis Set Up His World Title After two near misses on his final attempt, Duplantis wowed the crowd on his final one.
—Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
After years of near misses and heartbreak, the Englishman finally broke through with a dramatic win at the Tour Championship, pocketing a $10 million prize.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
There were shouts and even a near miss from a water pistol.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near miss
Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Sep. 2025
How Mondo Duplantis Set Up His World Title After two near misses on his final attempt, Duplantis wowed the crowd on his final one.
—Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
After years of near misses and heartbreak, the Englishman finally broke through with a dramatic win at the Tour Championship, pocketing a $10 million prize.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
There were shouts and even a near miss from a water pistol.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near miss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near miss
Noun
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But instead of prompting an argument — as can happen between surfers competing for waves — the close call brought the wave riders together.—
Laylan Connelly,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Oct. 2025
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What to do immediately after a close call Changing your password or running a malware scan is often not enough to stop attackers.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Our favorites helped our razors glide smoothly across the skin for an ultra-close shave, while aloe vera and almond oil soothed, hydrated, and enhanced the skin’s appearance — mitigating irritation.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
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Washington’s depth saved it from a close shave Sunday.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Near miss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near%20miss. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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