nearly
gb/nˈɪɹli/ us/nˈɪɹli/
A2
English
~ 900
majdnem
A2
1
majdnem
A2
Usage pattern:
nearly [number/amount/adjective/verb phrase]
She nearly missed the bus this morning.
Ma reggel majdnem lekéste a buszt.
It's nearly midnight, and he's still working.
Már majdnem éjfél van, ő pedig még mindig dolgozik.
The glass is nearly full.
We nearly won the game.
He nearly forgot to lock the door.
Learner examples
I nearly missed the train.
Majdnem lekéstem a vonatot.
It is nearly ten o'clock.
Majdnem tíz óra van.
The bag is nearly full.
They nearly finished the work.
She nearly fell down.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'nearly' with 'barely', but 'barely' means 'only just' and often implies something happened, while 'nearly' means it did not happen but came close.
Meaning
Almost, but not quite
Collocations
nearly finished
|nearly impossible
|nearly identical
|nearly half
|nearly enough
Synonyms
almost (Interchangeable in most contexts, though 'almost' can sometimes sound slightly more formal.)
Antonyms
completely (Indicates full extent or totality, opposite of being just short of something.)
Themes
daily life
|measurement
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Almost, but not fully or exactly.
By a small margin short of; almost but not completely.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nearly
IPA
GB/nˈɪɹli/
US/nˈɪɹli/
Syllables & stress
nearly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (nearly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: nearly
- Plural: nearlies
Word family
Expressions
nearly all
1/nˈɪɹli ˈɔl/
fixed phrase
Almost every person or thing
Almost every person or thing in a group.
Examples
- Nearly all the students passed the test.
- Nearly all the shops are closed on Sundays.
nearly there
1/nˈɪɹli ðˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
Close to finishing or arriving
Very close to finishing something or getting to a place.
Examples
- We’re nearly there, just five more minutes.
- The project is nearly there; we just need final approval.
not nearly
1/nˈɑt nˈɪɹli/
fixed phrase
Far from enough or sufficient
Much less than what is needed or expected.
Examples
- This is not nearly enough money to buy a car.
- He’s not nearly as tall as his brother.