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.

---

Example Sentences

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

For Mr Cook, the experience was "terrifying" and it made him want to get out of Luang Prabang, "although everyone's really friendly here", because it was a constant reminder of his narrow escape.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

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

United’s narrow escape sets up a second straight Manchester derby in the final against defending champion Manchester City, which beat Chelsea on Saturday.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2024

He was worried at the thought of the narrow escape that she had had, but he was relieved that she was now safe.

From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith

Related Words

• close call
• shocker