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.
It is home for Duckett and Tongue, while Joe Root averages nearly 70 here.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
The nearly 8-foot-tall canvas surpassed the $33.6 million paid in 2008 by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for a companion view of Tilley, 1995’s “Benefits Supervisor Sleeping.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
A fire that has burned at a Boyle Heights warehouse for more than a week is nearly out, after crews managed to extinguish flames on the roof overnight, Los Angeles Fire Department officials said Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
Counting the latest losses, the stock has fallen 28% this year and nearly 50% over the past 12 months.
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
Medical science in 1848 knows very little about bacteria, even though they were first seen through microscopes nearly two hundred years before.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Definitions 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.
