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
Royalton Splash Punta Cana, an Autograph Collection Resort and Casino
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
There are several waterslides to choose from at Royalton Splash Punta Cana, including a rollercoaster-style slide and a multilane water slide where riders hit speeds of nearly 45 feet per second.
—
Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025
With nearly 800 five-star ratings, this particular Lululemon vest is clearly a beloved investment piece.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
The DreamWorks robot survival adventure took Best Feature along with nearly ever other category (it was not nominated for Best Writing and Best Storyboarding).
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2025
The story reveals that nearly a quarter of last year’s HBS graduates were still looking for a job three months after their graduation.
—Dennis McCarthy, National Review, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nearly 
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Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025
With nearly 800 five-star ratings, this particular Lululemon vest is clearly a beloved investment piece.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
The DreamWorks robot survival adventure took Best Feature along with nearly ever other category (it was not nominated for Best Writing and Best Storyboarding).
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2025
The story reveals that nearly a quarter of last year’s HBS graduates were still looking for a job three months after their graduation.
—Dennis McCarthy, National Review, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nearly
Dictionary Entries Near nearly
Cite this Entry
“Nearly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nearly. Accessed 12 Feb. 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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