almost a success

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost a success" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or effort that came close to achieving its intended goal but ultimately fell short. Example: "The project was almost a success, as we managed to complete most of the objectives, but we ran out of time before the final presentation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In this respect, Stap was almost a success for its authors.

The Guardian

Serpent River First Nation in southern Ontario was almost a success story.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Perhaps self-servingly, the fund's fans argued that a tiny loss to corruption counted almost as a success given the problems that beset other aid efforts.In this section Cleaning up Dim prospects ReprintsIn retrospect, that looks complacent.

The Economist

Sunderland is a 10-year job, not a 10-game job, and the nature of Moyes's outstanding work at Everton suggests he is almost a guaranteed success in the long term.

The Guardian - Sport

Almost a complete success in identification is achieved when we use additionally data from low latitude observatories and imposing their simultaneity.

Earth, Planets and Space

The drop was almost a total success, with the majority of the raiding force landing on the edge of the drop zone; however, half of the 'Nelson' detachment landed two miles short of the DZ.

Wikipedia

The magazine was almost an immediate success, later spawning Harper's Weekly and Harper's Bazaar, among others, and never ran into serious difficulty until after it was sold by the Harper interests to the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company in 1965.

The New York Times - Books

Witzig says that the magazine, which became a strong voice in Australia's counterculture and combined political satire with surfing coverage, was almost an instant success.

Vice

Genoa ended their run of almost three years without a success in the Derby della Lanterna by smashing Sampdoria 3-0.

The Guardian - Sport

Sydney 2000 was almost as resounding a success for Australians as London 2012 was for the British – and so a very modern era of the rivalry emerges.

The Guardian - Sport

The plane is, by almost all accounts, a success - the reviews of its luxury classes and high-tech amenities are glowing; even better, compared with its nearest competitor, the Boeing 747-400, its cost-per-seat is 20% less.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost a success" when you want to highlight that an endeavor came very close to achieving its goals but ultimately fell short. It's useful for conveying a sense of near-achievement or potential.

Common error

Avoid using "almost a success" to describe something that was fully successful. The phrase implies a lack of complete attainment, so ensure the context reflects this nuance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost a success" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, typically describing a situation, project, or effort. It indicates a state of near-completion or near-achievement, suggesting that the subject came close to being fully successful. Ludwig confirms the correctness of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "almost a success" is a phrase used to describe situations that nearly achieve their goals but ultimately fall short. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness. The phrase is most frequently found in News & Media, Science, and Wiki contexts and maintains a neutral register, making it suitable for a variety of applications. While "almost a success" may not be as common as other similar expressions, it effectively communicates a sense of near-achievement and potential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

near success

This alternative is a shorter and more concise way to express the idea of something coming close to succeeding.

on the verge of success

This alternative emphasizes the proximity to success, suggesting that it was very close to being achieved.

close to succeeding

This alternative uses a verb phrase to highlight the action of succeeding and emphasizes the proximity to that action.

just shy of success

This alternative uses the phrase "just shy" to convey a slight lack of achievement.

nearly triumphant

This alternative replaces "success" with "triumphant", adding a stronger sense of victory that was narrowly missed.

virtually a success

This alternative uses "virtually" to mean 'nearly' or 'almost'.

approaching victory

This alternative suggests a process of getting closer to victory but not quite reaching it.

a hair's breadth from success

This alternative uses an idiom to illustrate how close something was to succeeding.

narrowly successful

This alternative implies that the success was achieved by a small margin.

tantamount to success

This alternative is a more formal and emphatic way of saying "almost a success".

FAQs

How can I use "almost a success" in a sentence?

You can use "almost a success" to describe situations where an endeavor nearly reached its goal but didn't quite make it. For example, "The project was "almost a success", but we ran out of time before the deadline."

What can I say instead of "almost a success"?

Alternatives include "near success", "close to succeeding", or "nearly triumphant", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "almost a success story"?

Yes, "almost a success story" is a correct and usable phrase. It indicates a situation that has many of the characteristics of a success story but ultimately falls short of being one.

What's the difference between "almost a success" and "a complete success"?

"Almost a success" implies that the endeavor did not fully achieve its intended outcome, whereas "a complete success" indicates that all goals were met and the endeavor was entirely successful.