narrowly escaped

USAGE SUMMARY

"narrowly escaped" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation in which a person barely avoided danger or a mistake. For example: "She narrowly escaped disaster when she managed to avoid a collision on the highway."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

(Potatoes only narrowly escaped).

The New Yorker

He seems to have narrowly escaped death.

The New York Times

He narrowly escaped death two times.

The New Yorker

She narrowly escaped with her life he narrowly escaped gaol.

The Guardian - Books

He narrowly escaped expulsion from the force.

The New York Times

I narrowly escaped a caesarean.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He narrowly escaped before it went off.

The New York Times

Even Pericles himself only narrowly escaped it.

Cornell University

They narrowly escaped into a school bus.

The Washington Post

He had narrowly escaped death, he said.

The New York Times

Maggie Haines, the couple's daughter, narrowly escaped.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "narrowly escaped" to convey that someone or something almost experienced a negative outcome, such as danger, failure, or capture. It adds a sense of urgency and precariousness to the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "narrowly escaped" to describe situations where someone almost achieved a positive outcome. The phrase implies averting something negative, not missing out on something positive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "narrowly escaped" functions as a verb phrase that typically modifies a noun (person, place, or thing) to indicate that the subject almost experienced something negative, such as danger, capture, or failure. According to Ludwig AI, its primary grammatical role is to express a close call or near miss.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Academia

8%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "narrowly escaped" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that effectively conveys the idea of averting a negative outcome by a small margin. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is appropriate for describing near misses or close calls across various contexts, particularly in news and media. To enhance your writing, use "narrowly escaped" when you wish to emphasize the precariousness of a situation and the fortunate nature of the escape. Remember to avoid using it in scenarios involving positive outcomes. Alternatives such as "barely avoided" or "had a close call" can be used to add nuance or variety to your writing. By understanding the proper usage and potential pitfalls, you can confidently incorporate "narrowly escaped" into your vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely avoided

This alternative emphasizes the small margin by which the negative outcome was avoided.

just managed to avoid

This alternative highlights the effort or management involved in averting the situation.

managed to evade

This alternative emphasizes the act of actively avoiding something.

had a close call

This alternative focuses on the nearness of the averted danger or difficulty.

escaped by the skin of one's teeth

This idiom suggests a very narrow and precarious escape.

scraped through

This is a more informal phrase implying a difficult or close call.

averted by a hair's breadth

This emphasizes the extremely small margin of safety.

squeezed by

This alternative implies a tight or difficult passage through a challenging situation.

dodged a bullet

This idiom vividly describes avoiding a potentially disastrous situation.

came close to

This phrase highlights the proximity to a negative event without explicitly stating escape.

FAQs

How can I use "narrowly escaped" in a sentence?

Use "narrowly escaped" to indicate that someone or something almost experienced a negative outcome. For instance, "The city "narrowly escaped the worst of the storm"".

What can I say instead of "narrowly escaped"?

You can use alternatives like "barely avoided", "just managed to avoid", or "had a close call" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "narrowly escaped from"?

While grammatically acceptable, "narrowly escaped" is often used without "from". Using "narrowly escaped" by itself is more concise and commonly used.

What's the difference between "narrowly escaped" and "completely avoided"?

"Narrowly escaped" implies that the negative outcome was very close to happening, while "completely avoided" means the negative outcome never posed a threat.