as in nearly
very close to but not completely
we were almost finished with dinner when an unexpected visitor showed up there were almost enough seats for everybody on the bus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of almost
Doha Madani, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Russia pummels Ukraine almost nightly with Shahed long-range attack drones — originally from Iran.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for almost
Adverb
But appeals to return it have grown with the rise of social media, most notably after Queen Elizabeth II died almost four years ago.
—Doha Madani, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026
Russia pummels Ukraine almost nightly with Shahed long-range attack drones — originally from Iran.
—ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Orange County has paid more than $39 million worth of settlements in the almost year since the Airport fire broke out and destroyed more than 100 structures, according to county officials.
—Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for almost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for almost
Adverb
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Meanwhile, Austin Barber, who started 47 games at tackle for the Gators, nearly had to wait until Saturday.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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Philadelphia scored on seven consecutive late-game possessions, nearly all of them on plays at or near the rim.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Zachary Schermele On the heels of a frightening shooting over the weekend, the royal address seemed to bring Washington together in a moment of relative unity at a time when it was needed.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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New Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has endorsed the talks but his relative silence and non-visibility have created space for Iran’s various internal factions to disagree over the way forward.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Borussia Monchengladbach’s Tim Kleindienst has missed practically the entire season because of a recurring knee injury, meaning that even if the 30-year-old were to return in the final few games, the World Cup seems a long shot.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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But following elite competition is nearly impossible, with subtle flicks and jabs practically invisible to the naked eye—and competitors hidden behind masks.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In the intervening years, the immune systems of virtually every human on the planet have developed some armor with which to fend off SARS-2, either because they have been previously infected or been vaccinated against the virus or both.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
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When that happens, its responses in content, tone, and emotionality will become virtually, if not totally, indistinguishable from those of another human being.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
If Campbell fails, then speculation can fairly begin.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The authors stress the need for a robust public domain for information and for IP to be fairly applied alongside the public domain in order to encourage economic growth and innovation.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Almost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/almost. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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