CLOSE CALL Synonyms: 7 Similar and Opposite Words

close call

noun

ˈklōs-

Definition of close call next

as in narrow escape

a barely successful escape from something undesirable the doctor said I'd had a close call, and was lucky to be alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misfire

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 close call Stacy, a crossing guard in East Lansdowne who asked that her last name not be used, said the job often puts her in close calls with traffic. —

Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 Hurricane Milton in 2024 was a very close call for Tampa. —

Doyle Rice, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026 Their house remained standing after both close calls. —

Vanessa Romo, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026 The real problem here is this is not a close call based on antitrust. —

Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for close call

Recent Examples of Synonyms for close call

close shave

Noun

Villa rely on its revenue to push their limits, so going another year on the outside will mean player sales, budget cuts and very, very close shaves with financial sanctions.

— Carl Anka, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Speaking of a close shave, Cincinnati couldn't decide a winner between No 5.

— Rasputin Todd, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2026