as in almost
very close to but not completely
it was well-nigh dark, but I could still see a little
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Recent Examples of well-nigh
At Calder Gardens, art, architecture, and horticulture achieve a well-nigh perfect equilibrium.
—
Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 27 Nov. 2025
The journey along the Gemini, which measured only 18 feet and five inches from bow to stern, proved to be well-nigh impossible.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Right now, though, a coherent A.I. policy seems well-nigh inconceivable.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
In my book, Peter Seidler was a model citizen, a well-nigh heroic one.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023
Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 27 Nov. 2025
The journey along the Gemini, which measured only 18 feet and five inches from bow to stern, proved to be well-nigh impossible.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Right now, though, a coherent A.I. policy seems well-nigh inconceivable.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
In my book, Peter Seidler was a model citizen, a well-nigh heroic one.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-nigh
Adverb
-
The Religion News Service reports the speakers are almost entirely conservative Christians, a key part of the president’s political base.—
Joseph Bonasia,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
This game may not carry the same weight, depending on the records of both teams going in, but the intrigue will almost certainly be there.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Adverb
-
Built for a light and bouncy stride, these sneakers practically glide with you, making long travel days noticeably easier.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
The film had practically no marketing spend and reached audiences through Markiplier’s large social presence.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
Adverb
-
Choquette was cruising until that point, having retired 15 straight batters after walking junior Hailey Goode on four pitches to open the game, which was delayed nearly an hour due to lightning in the area.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
23 May 2026
-
Benge had two balls that nearly went over the wall, but almost doesn’t count.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Adverb
-
But, like virtually every contender, some changes will continue to come in the bullpen.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The fact that only the skin of the actual animal remained and that it was mounted on a frame that could take virtually any shape meant that the resulting object could take any posture or expression without being limited by bones, ligaments or muscle texture.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-nigh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-nigh. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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