Pronunciation: /ˈnɪrli/

Definitions of nearly

adverb Almost, not quite, close to but not completely

Example Sentences

A1 I nearly missed the bus this morning.

A2 She nearly forgot to bring her umbrella.

B1 The store is nearly closed for the day.

B2 The project is nearly complete and ready for presentation.

C1 He nearly made it to the top of the mountain before the storm hit.

C2 The negotiations are nearly finalized and ready for signing.

preposition Used to indicate that something is close to being or happening

Example Sentences

A1 I am nearly finished with my homework.

A2 She is nearly ready to leave for the party.

B1 The project is nearly complete, just a few more details to finalize.

B2 The train was nearly empty as it pulled into the station.

C1 The company is nearly bankrupt after years of mismanagement.

C2 The artist's work is nearly flawless, showing incredible attention to detail.

Examples of nearly in a Sentence

formal The project is nearly complete and ready for submission.

informal I'm nearly done with my homework, just a few more questions to go.

slang I nearly missed the bus this morning, but I made it just in time.

figurative Her words cut me deeply, leaving me feeling nearly broken.

Grammatical Forms of nearly

past tense

nearly

plural

nearlies

comparative

more nearly

superlative

most nearly

present tense

nearly

future tense

will nearly

perfect tense

have nearly

continuous tense

is nearly

singular

nearly

positive degree

nearly

infinitive

to nearly

gerund

nearlying

participle

nearlyed

Origin and Evolution of nearly

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'nearly' originated from the Old English word 'nearlice' which was derived from the word 'neah' meaning 'near' and the suffix '-lice' indicating manner or state.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'nearly' has retained its original meaning of 'almost' or 'close to' with slight variations in usage and context.