it almost arrived

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it almost arrived" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was very close to arriving but did not quite make it. Example: "The package was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but it almost arrived before the end of the day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It almost arrived.

The Guardian - Sport

Luxembourg felt an equaliser was a possibility and it almost arrived on 72 minutes.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

One almost arrived in the 93rd minute when Lassana Diarra headed goalwards.

The Guardian - Sport

The breakthrough almost arrived five minutes earlier but Elliott Ward could not touch home Kyle Reid's inviting free-kick.

The Guardian - Sport

After years of stress, in-fighting, anxiety and admin, the day has almost arrived: on 18 December, the results of the latest university research audit will be released.

The Guardian

The Magpies pushed for a winner which almost arrived when Mike Williamson headed a Ryan Taylor corner against the bar.

BBC

Now that the iPhone has almost arrived, Apple is starting work on a new version of the iPod and possibly the iPhone.

TechCrunch

And the breakthrough almost arrived when Woods gathered centrally and fired in a low effort that had Mannus diving full length to save.

BBC

And a third goal almost arrived in the 67th minute as midfielder Lucy Staniforth smashed a 25-yard drive against the crossbar.

BBC

A year before the cigarette makers settled with the states, they had almost arrived at a different deal with the states that would have cost them even more.

Forbes

They feel like they've almost arrived — they don't realize there's a border, and that their troubles aren't over yet".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it almost arrived" to indicate a near miss or a situation where something was very close to being completed or reaching its destination. Be mindful that this implies that the arrival or completion did not actually happen.

Common error

Avoid using "it almost arrived" when the thing in question actually did arrive. This phrase suggests that the arrival did not occur, so using it when the arrival was completed can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it almost arrived" functions as a statement indicating that something was close to reaching its destination or completion but ultimately did not. As noted by Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically sound and frequently appears in various texts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it almost arrived" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe a near miss or a situation where something was very close to completion or arrival but did not quite make it. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts. While it's essential to avoid using this phrase when the arrival or completion actually occurred, "it almost arrived" serves as an effective way to convey a sense of near success or expectation. Related phrases such as "it nearly arrived" and "it came close to arriving" offer alternative ways to express similar sentiments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it nearly arrived

Replaces "almost" with "nearly", a synonym with a very similar meaning.

it all but arrived

A more emphatic way of saying it almost arrived.

it came close to arriving

Uses a more descriptive phrase to express the nearness of arrival.

it was on the verge of arriving

Emphasizes the imminence of the arrival, suggesting it was about to happen.

it was just about to arrive

Indicates the arrival was imminent but did not quite occur.

it was within reach

Focuses on the idea that the arrival was easily attainable.

it was practically there

Informal way to emphasize the close proximity to the destination.

it was nearing arrival

Uses continuous tense to show that arrival was in progress but not completed.

it verged on arrival

Implies that the arrival was closely approached.

it approached arrival

More formal way of expressing that something was in process of arriving.

FAQs

How can I use "it almost arrived" in a sentence?

You can use "it almost arrived" to describe a situation where something nearly reached its destination or completion but didn't quite make it. For example, "The package was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but "it almost arrived" before the end of the day".

What's a more formal way to say "it almost arrived"?

A more formal way to express this idea is "it nearly arrived" or "it came close to arriving". These options maintain a similar meaning but sound more polished.

What can I say instead of "it almost arrived" to emphasize how close it was?

To emphasize the nearness of arrival, you could use phrases like "it was on the verge of arriving" or "it was just about to arrive".

Is it correct to say "it almost arrived" if the item eventually arrived later?

The phrase ""it almost arrived"" implies that the arrival didn't occur at the expected time. If the item arrived later, you might clarify by saying ""it almost arrived" on time, but eventually came later".