nearly
Americanadverb
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all but; almost.
nearly dead with cold.
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with close approximation.
a nearly perfect likeness.
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with close agreement or resemblance.
a plan nearly like our own.
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with close kinship, interest, or connection; intimately.
nearly associated in business;
two women nearly related.
adverb
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not quite; almost; practically
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nowhere near; not at all
not nearly enough money
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closely
the person most nearly concerned
Synonym Usage
See almost.
Etymology
Origin of nearly
Explanation
When something nearly happens, it comes very close to occurring, but doesn't. Nearly is a useful adverb for describing things that are almost accomplished. If you and your brother nearly win the three-legged race, you lose by a matter of seconds. And, if you nearly drop your dog's leash at a busy intersection, your heart might pound from the closeness of your best pal's brush with danger. An interesting detail about nearly is that it nearly ended up with a different meaning: until the late 1600s, in fact, it meant "carefully."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The children were taught “math, Mandarin and English” nearly around the clock.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Polling earlier this month indicated two-thirds of their fellow Gen-Zs would keep their social media algorithms – though nearly half of Australians more generally would turn theirs off.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
They spent $529 on average in the third quarter of 2026, the highest amount over a nearly five-year period, according to a recent report from Guidepoint Qsight, a provider of medical-aesthetics data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
A police source told AFP that authorities estimated nearly 200,000 people could take part, with 40,000 in Paris.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
“Certainly not. I just… got a little smoke in my eye,” he said so earnestly, he nearly believed it himself.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
