narrow escape

Idioms  

1. A barely successful flight from or avoidance of danger or trouble, as in He had a narrow escape, since the bullet came within inches of his head. This expression uses narrow in the sense of “barely sufficient.” [Late 1500s] For a newer synonym, see close call.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

narrow escape

Tottenham's radical overhaul is already well under way after last season's narrow escape from relegation.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

Buoyed by that narrow escape, Paul then held to love to go 6-5 up, and suddenly the pressure was all on the 24-year-old from Buenos Aires, playing in his first ATP final.

From Barron's ● Apr. 5, 2026

Hers begins with her family’s narrow escape from an occupied village west of Kyiv in the early days of the war.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025

The duo only made a narrow escape, running from an Alpha in a heart-pounding chase sequence that boasts breathtaking experimental camerawork from Boyle.

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2025

Although the big scar and trembling hand were a constant reminder of his narrow escape from death, Cherrie didn’t let it bother him.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple

Related Words

• close call
• shocker