near miss

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

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 near miss The incident took place in the wake of a handful of concerning aviation crashes and near misses this year, including the collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter near Reagan National on Jan. 29, which killed all 67 people in the two aircraft. Benjamin Deeter, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2025 The National Transportation Safety Board has said there were an alarming 85 near misses around Reagan in the three years before the crash that should have prompted action. Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025 Such interactions between black holes or neutron stars (compact remnants of exploded massive stars) can be studied through the deflection angle, the energy released through the near miss and the momentum of the objects’ recoil—all of which may be discerned in gravitational waves. Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 13 May 2025 The incident came just months after a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people, and two planes were forced to abort landings at the same airport in a near miss that is now under federal review. Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for near miss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near miss
Noun
  • The incident is one of many close calls, go-around and aviation accidents that has prompted calls for changes to air travel in the US and heightened public anxiety around flying.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
  • Eventually, after a few close calls, tragedy strikes.
    Malcolm Forbes, Boston Herald, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • The floating, vibrating head gave me a really close shave, especially with my shaving cream.
    Malia Griggs, Glamour, 16 May 2025
  • Their characters have had plenty of close shaves, although most didn't involve razors.
    Chris Cosgrove, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Near miss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near%20miss. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

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