near miss

noun

variants or less commonly near-miss
Synonyms of near missnext
1
a
: a miss (as with a bomb) close enough to cause damage
b
: something that falls just short of success
2
a
: a near collision (as between aircraft)
b
: close call

Synonyms of near miss

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Examples of near miss in a Sentence

After years of near misses, the team has finally won a championship. a near miss with death prompted him to give up skydiving
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Amid its six-shot flurry in the initial 10 minutes, Belgium created one golden chance that was a near miss. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026 In Barcelona and Madrid, the eclipse is a near miss — dramatic on paper, yet ultimately disappointing. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 5 July 2026 The teams traded chances, goals were called offside and there were near misses before Portugal finally broke through and tied the match up. — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026 After several heartbreaking near misses, rescue finally came on the fourth night when crewmember Leslie McNish spotted a distant vessel. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for near miss

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of near miss was in 1940

Rhymes for near miss

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Browse Nearby Words

nearly gave someone a heart attack
near miss
near money
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Cite this Entry

“Near miss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near%20miss. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on near miss

Nglish: Translation of near miss for Spanish Speakers

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