I nearly left

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I nearly left" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that you were close to leaving a place or situation but ultimately did not. Example: "I nearly left the party early, but then I decided to stay and enjoy the music."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The menu looked fine but, when the food was served, I nearly left.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Probably, like many of the people who were in the crowd for that show, I nearly left before the band came on stage due to the near zero temperatures in the unheated warehouse but afterwards was very happy indeed that I decided to stay.

The Guardian - Music

I nearly left after my first year, but I stayed and learned recently that I was the first African-American to graduate from Rice.

Science Magazine

So we finished it and I nearly left it off the album because it's just so different to everything else.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Specifically, the average distance is nearly ( left(2/kright){overline{D}}_{max } ) at points w 2 = (2/k)w max.

Journal of Cloud Computing

Nearly 180,000 left in 2008, almost 25 percent more than in 2007, as more families were able to pay overseas tuition.

The New York Times

The vomit shocked me—I swerved to the left, nearly missing a passing SUV.

Vice

Nearly everyone left stunned, including Virginia Coach Dom Starsia.

The New York Times - Sports

Nearly 10,000,000 left East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the fighting in 1971; many of them stayed on in India.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The expression level of R11-DsRed recombinant protein in the total lysate was nearly undetectable (left panel of Figure 2(a)); therefore, only the other five recombinant proteins were characterized in the following steps.

BioMed Research International

I been Ayn Rand'd, nearly branded Communist, 'cause I'm left-handed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I nearly left" to convey a sense of indecision or a close call in deciding whether to depart a place or situation. It implies a consideration of leaving that was almost acted upon.

Common error

Avoid using "I nearly left" when the action was definitively completed. "Nearly" suggests the action did not fully occur. For example, it would be incorrect to say "I nearly left, and then I got in my car and drove away".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I nearly left" functions as a statement expressing a past intention or consideration that was not fully realized. It indicates a situation where the speaker was on the verge of departing but ultimately chose to stay. Ludwig AI confirms that this is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science & Research

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "I nearly left" is a grammatically sound expression used to indicate that you almost departed from a place or situation. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its correct usage. While not very frequent, its meaning is clear and can be used in various contexts, particularly in news and media, as shown in Ludwig examples. When using this phrase, ensure that you are conveying the sense of a near departure that did not actually occur. If you need alternatives, consider phrases such as "I almost left" or "I considered leaving".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I almost departed

Replaces "nearly left" with "almost departed", maintaining the sense of being close to leaving.

I was on the verge of leaving

Indicates being right at the point of departure.

I was close to leaving

Emphasizes the proximity to the act of leaving, using a different structure.

I came close to departing

Similar to "I was close to leaving", but with a slightly more formal tone.

I considered leaving

Highlights the thought process of leaving, without explicitly stating how close one was to doing so.

I was tempted to leave

Highlights the temptation to leave, but without confirming the action.

I thought about exiting

Uses "exiting" as a synonym for leaving, adding a slightly different nuance.

Leaving almost happened

Expresses a similar meaning using a different sentence structure.

I had second thoughts about staying

Focuses on the internal conflict and reconsideration of remaining.

I debated whether to stay or go

Expresses the internal struggle between staying and leaving.

FAQs

What does "I nearly left" mean?

The phrase "I nearly left" means that you were very close to leaving a place or situation, but ultimately you decided to stay. It implies a moment of indecision or temptation to depart.

What can I say instead of "I nearly left"?

You can use alternatives like "I almost left", "I was close to leaving", or "I considered leaving" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "I nearly left"?

Yes, "I nearly left" is grammatically correct. The adverb "nearly" correctly modifies the verb "left", indicating an action that almost happened.

What is the difference between "I nearly left" and "I completely left"?

"I nearly left" implies that you did not actually leave, while "I completely left" means that you did leave. "Nearly" indicates an incomplete action, whereas "completely" indicates a finished one.