almost 1 of 2

almost

2 of 2

adjective

as in relative
being such only when compared to something else burdened with impossibly high expectations, the movie came to be regarded as an almost failure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of almost
Adverb
The state will almost certainly face a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake within the next three decades, the USGS concludes. Terry Collins, USA Today, 8 June 2025 Radical reformers hoping to see the possibility of a female monarch in the future will almost certainly be disappointed, but the women of the imperial family do stand to gain from the reforms. Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Adjective
Despite arguably kicking off the trend of internet shutdowns a decade ago with an almost year-long blackout in the western province of Xinjiang, China is not a frequent offender. James Griffiths, CNN, 9 Jan. 2020 West made his triumphant return to Twitter last Friday after an almost year-long hiatus. NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018 See All Example Sentences for almost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for almost
Adverb
  • Since the 2022 merger, WBD’s share price has fallen nearly 60%.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 June 2025
  • Its life span is only a few weeks, but in that time one female can produce nearly a hundred offspring, peppering sorghum plants with larvae that look like sawdust and suck nutrients from the leaves, stunting the plants.
    Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • However, strong competition from Japan’s Fujifilm, a relative upstart founded in 1934, put pressure on Kodak in the late 1990s pushing it to the brink of bankruptcy in 2011.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • The idea behind these planter/benches is easy enough to understand: create some opportunities for residents to find shade on hot days in a neighborhood considered to be a classic urban heat island due to its relative dearth of trees.
    Thomas E. Weber, Time, 6 June 2025
Adverb
  • In other words, this is quantum supremacy: the point where a quantum computer can perform a calculation that is practically impossible for any classical computer to do in a reasonable amount of time.
    John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • This vintage dessert practically floats off the plate.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
Adverb
  • Turns out Clark played virtually the entire season with a right foot injury that slowed him throughout and needed to be surgically repaired in January.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, the Royals’ status as last in MLB in home runs and second-to-last in runs scored virtually had been offsetting their stellar pitching and left them a precarious 31-29 entering the game Tuesday.
    Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025
Adverb
  • Of course, given the ubiquity of such ambitious politicians of all flavors, everywhere, all the time, the charge of cynical opportunism has fairly short legs.
    Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
  • This person is going to be blown literally in half, but the legs, the feet, the shoes might stay fairly comfortably in place.
    EW.com, EW.com, 6 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Almost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/almost. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on almost

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!