easy
I nearly finished the puzzle.
What does Nearly mean?
Nearly means almost.
Dictionary definition
Almost, but not completely.
Example sentences
Nearly in a sentence
medium
The team nearly reached its reading goal.
hard
The answer was nearly correct, but one detail needed fixing.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice nearly in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Nearly
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does nearly mean?
Nearly means something is close to being true or complete.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to nearly?
Nearly and almost have very similar meanings.
Practice 3
Which sentence uses nearly correctly?
Nearly is an adverb that can describe how close something came to happening.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
Pronunciation coach
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Nearly
Voice settings
Sounds like
neer · lee · strongest beat: neer
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordNearly.
Partadverb.
MeaningNearly means almost.
ExampleExample: I nearly finished the puzzle.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- neer · lee
- Strongest beat
- neer
- Ending
- lee
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on neer.
Your turn
Say Nearly
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Synonyms
Words like Nearly
Antonyms
Opposite words
completelyUse when something is fully done or true.
exactlyUse when something is precise, not approximate.
Synonym practice
Want to practice nearly synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The jar was almost full," then compare close word choices. Practice nearly synonyms.
Word family
Nearly word family
Related words
Explore related words
Student support
Understand Nearly
Hint for students
Nearly means almost.
Common mix-up
Nearly is not the same as completely. Nearly means nearly means almost.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: The team nearly reached its reading goal. Clue words: team, reached, reading. Underline clue words that show why nearly fits instead of completely. Now write one new sentence that shows nearly without using the word nearly. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show nearly?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "The team nearly reached its reading goal." Why does nearly fit better than completely?
Learning activities
Practice Nearly and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice NEARLY” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
Practice NEARLY
Sentence Builder
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Write a sentence with NEARLY
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