nearly arriving

USAGE SUMMARY

"nearly arriving" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation where someone or something is close to reaching a destination. Example: "We are nearly arriving at the station." Alternative expressions include "almost there" and "close to arriving."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Android home gaming consoles are nearly arriving for the consumer market, but one at least needs a little more time in the oven to bake.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Now that the date has nearly arrived, nothing is sure.

Independent

That improvement nearly arrived quicker than even Izzo had imagined.

The New York Times - Sports

That nearly arrived courtesy of Matt Lowton's low cross, yet Wales international Vokes was unable to pip Marshall to the delivery at the near post.

The Guardian - Sport

Bush is changing course in Iraq, obviously, because Americans are dying there, an election year has nearly arrived, and the kind of painstaking post-Second World War-style occupation that he originally put in place was beginning to seem politically unsustainable.

The New Yorker

HONG KONG — The high season for tourism has nearly arrived in Southeast Asia, and shelter directors and child-welfare activists across the region are worried about the inevitable wave of well-heeled visitors giving money to street children begging for dollars and euros.

The New York Times

A win in Bradley's first home game in charge would have lifted some of the gloom and it so nearly arrived during a second half when Barrow tormented Watford with his pace and trickery, Gylfi Sigurdsson hit the upright and Heurelho Gomes denied Mike Van der Hoorn from point-blank range.

The Guardian - Sport

TechCrunch's annual summer soirée has nearly arrived and we've released another batch of tickets!

TechCrunch

In some cases, the CEO says, they would wait until the Gett cars had nearly arrived before canceling their order.

TechCrunch

Evidence provided to TechCrunch at the time showed that more than one dozen Uber employees had worked simultaneously to request rides from its competitor, in some cases waiting until the cars had nearly arrived before canceling their orders.

TechCrunch

The big question was whether Algeria would maintain their intensity or be punished for their missed chances and the answer nearly arrived when Schurrle's effort was deflected narrowly off target, before Shkodran Mustafi headed at Mbolhi and the goalkeeper pulled off a fine save from Philipp Lahm's shot.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In professional contexts, consider whether a more direct verb like "approaching" might provide more clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "nearly arriving" when the action is finished. If the subject has already reached the destination but missed the target time, use "nearly arrived" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nearly arriving" functions as an adverbial modifier + present participle, typically used as part of a continuous verb tense or a participial phrase. As noted by Ludwig, it modifies the action of reaching a destination by adding a degree of proximity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Academia

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "nearly arriving" is a legitimate English phrase used to convey that something is on the verge of completion or reaching a location. While exact matches in Ludwig's database are relatively rare compared to variants like "nearly arrived", the construction follows standard rules of adverbial modification. Ludwig AI confirms its presence in high-quality journalistic sources, where it often describes the 'arrival' of consumer goods, seasonal shifts, or physical travelers. When writing, ensure you distinguish between the ongoing state of "nearly arriving" and the near-completion state of "nearly arrived" to maintain precise temporal clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost there

Commonly used in informal speech to indicate the final stage of a journey

close to arriving

More explicit about the proximity to the destination

nearly there

A very common idiomatic alternative used in both literal and figurative contexts

approaching

A more formal single-word verb that suggests active movement toward a point

drawing near

A more literary or dramatic way to describe something coming closer

imminent

Focuses on the time aspect, suggesting something is about to happen very soon

on the horizon

A figurative expression for something expected to arrive in the near future

just around the corner

Idiomatic expression suggesting very close proximity or immediate arrival

about to arrive

Uses a modal-like construction to emphasize the immediate future

coming soon

Standard marketing terminology for upcoming products or events

FAQs

Is "nearly arriving" grammatically correct?

Yes, "nearly arriving" is a correct adverbial phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to describe something that is very close to reaching its destination or completion.

What is the difference between "nearly arriving" and "almost there"?

While both indicate proximity, "almost there" is more idiomatic and informal. "nearly arriving" is often found in news reporting regarding product launches or scheduled events.

Can I use "nearly arriving" in a business email?

It is acceptable, but you might find phrases like "close to arriving" or "arriving shortly" more natural in professional correspondence.

When should I use "nearly arriving" instead of "nearly arrived"?

Use "nearly arriving" for an ongoing state of movement. Use "nearly arrived" when the arrival has happened or is a completed thought.