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as in almost
very close to but not completely
I nearly fell down the stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nearly
Taiwan is a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, with more than half of the world’s chips and nearly all of the high-end ones made there.
—
Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2025
The Great East Japan Earthquake was a six-minute event that killed nearly 20,000 people and shifted the earth on its axis.
—Rebecca Chace
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Kimmel’s tribute to Otto has amassed 255,000 views and nearly 9,000 reactions and comments on Facebook as of July 14.
—Mark Price
updated July 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
For example, the insurance company has received nearly 13,000 claims and paid out more than $4.2 billion to California homeowners who suffered losses during the devastating wildfires that raged across the Los Angeles area in January, according to an update posted last week on its website.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2025
The Great East Japan Earthquake was a six-minute event that killed nearly 20,000 people and shifted the earth on its axis.
—Rebecca Chace
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Kimmel’s tribute to Otto has amassed 255,000 views and nearly 9,000 reactions and comments on Facebook as of July 14.
—Mark Price
updated July 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
For example, the insurance company has received nearly 13,000 claims and paid out more than $4.2 billion to California homeowners who suffered losses during the devastating wildfires that raged across the Los Angeles area in January, according to an update posted last week on its website.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nearly
Adverb
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On Thursday, Aug 7, the singer, who gave birth to a son almost two weeks after testifying in Combs' criminal trial in May, posted a video on her Instagram Stories about her postpartum journey.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Battlefield 6 currently has 755,000 viewers on Twitch alone, more than triple the next closest game, League of Legends, and almost eight times as many as Fortnite, which just launched an entirely new season today.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Below are a handful (of the countless) sets and design choices Scruton and crew had their hands in developing – all of which were guided by creator Tim Burton’s preferred choice to shoot things practically in-camera.—
Daron James,
IndieWire,
7 Aug. 2025
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Kivel’s narration remains droll and nonchalant, practically taunting the reader, as Evie’s circumstances become more and more absurd.—
Lora Kelley,
New Yorker,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nearly. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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