come close
idiom
1
: to almost do something
We didn't win, but we came close.
—often + toThe band came very close to breaking up.
We came close to winning the championship this season.
2
: to be similar to something or as good as expected
She said they taste just like real hot dogs, but they don't even come close (to the real thing).
Examples of come close in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Anybody qualifying for honorable mention won't come close either.
—
Zach Harper, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The Long March 10 is still in development, and Wednesday's flight did not come close to reaching orbit.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
But Wennermars didn’t come close to beating Stolz, who entered the day as a big favorite — and came through in the clutch.
—Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
None of the Vekoma Thrill Glider’s stats will come close to breaking Magic Mountain coaster records for speed (85 mph, Goliath), height (235 feet, Goliath), length (4,990 feet, Twisted Colossus) or inversions (seven, Scream and Viper).
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for come close
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Zach Harper, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The Long March 10 is still in development, and Wednesday's flight did not come close to reaching orbit.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
But Wennermars didn’t come close to beating Stolz, who entered the day as a big favorite — and came through in the clutch.
—Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
None of the Vekoma Thrill Glider’s stats will come close to breaking Magic Mountain coaster records for speed (85 mph, Goliath), height (235 feet, Goliath), length (4,990 feet, Twisted Colossus) or inversions (seven, Scream and Viper).
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for come close
Cite this Entry
“Come close.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20close. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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