1
: in a close manner or relationship
nearly related
2
a
: almost but not quite
nearly identical
nearly a year later
b
: to the least extent
not nearly as good as we expected
Examples of nearly in a Sentence
I see her nearly every day.
We lived there for nearly two years.
Nearly all of us got sick that weekend.
Recent Examples on the Web
Washington, meanwhile, remains the top team in the Eastern Conference (39-14-8, 86 points), thanks in part to Ovechkin — and also in spite of a fractured left fibula on Nov. 18 that shelved him for nearly six weeks and threatened to delay his chase to the fall of 2025.
—
Sean Gentille, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the trading session up nearly 500 points, or 1.1%, while the S&P 500 also jumped 1.1%.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
In truth, four budgets under the mayor’s administration have been balanced while increasing the city’s cash reserves to nearly $55 million, without tax increases, and shoring up the city’s credit rating.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
The brand, currently at the helm of creative director Veronica Leoni, debuted its fall ready-to-wear 2025 collection at New York Fashion Week—the first after a nearly seven-year hiatus.
—Elizabeth Grace Coyne, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
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Sean Gentille, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the trading session up nearly 500 points, or 1.1%, while the S&P 500 also jumped 1.1%.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
In truth, four budgets under the mayor’s administration have been balanced while increasing the city’s cash reserves to nearly $55 million, without tax increases, and shoring up the city’s credit rating.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
The brand, currently at the helm of creative director Veronica Leoni, debuted its fall ready-to-wear 2025 collection at New York Fashion Week—the first after a nearly seven-year hiatus.
—Elizabeth Grace Coyne, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nearly
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nearly. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nearly
adverb
near·ly
ˈni(ə)r-lē 
1
: in a close manner or relationship
nearly related
2
: almost but not quite
nearly the same
nearly missed the train
3
: to the least extent
not nearly enough
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