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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of near miss
Recent near misses at airports across the country and a January mid-air collision have left travelers and officials anxious about safety practices while pilots are in the air and on the ground.
—
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 19 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for near miss
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 19 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for near miss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near miss
Noun
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The right-hander generated a ground ball to get the force out at home in an extremely close call, and the very next pitch was a risky fly out tracked down by Andy Pages (who entered the game after the bases were loaded).—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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This followed decades of close calls.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 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 11 Nov. 2025.
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