1
2
as in almost
very close to but not completely
I nearly fell down the stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 nearly
Arrests of the 37- and 38-year-old come nearly a week after two others charged for the robbery were detained.
—
Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Chicago nearly sealed the game when Terrell Edmunds picked off Flacco and ran it back for what was thought to be a touchdown.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, nearly 50% of all major air traffic control facilities face staffing shortages.
—Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
She was stabbed nearly two dozen times.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Chicago nearly sealed the game when Terrell Edmunds picked off Flacco and ran it back for what was thought to be a touchdown.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, nearly 50% of all major air traffic control facilities face staffing shortages.
—Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
She was stabbed nearly two dozen times.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nearly
Adverb
-
In the new role, Nguyen will work closely with Director, Talent Management Amanda Acevedo on overall talent strategy, growth and revenue across the company, while also serving as a senior leader for the team in the company’s Los Angeles office.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Green Mountain State residents voted in favor of Ocasio-Cortez and Newsom, with both landing 17 percent, and Buttigieg following closely behind with 16 percent.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
States, and now nonstate actors, have been engaging in wars of various kinds almost constantly since World War II.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
-
This is one of the most popular portable heated blankets on Amazon, with almost 500 perfect ratings.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Besides being one of the best ways to stay warm, puffer jackets are also unbelievably packable, much like this Eddie Bauer down jacket that has insulation for chilly days but can be folded or rolled to practically half its size.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The key to detecting them, then, wasn’t to simply build a detector sensitive enough to see each individual neutrino; that would be a practically impossible task.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nearly. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share