nearly missing

USAGE SUMMARY

"nearly missing" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means almost or barely avoiding or not being able to do or experience something. Example: Jenny was nearly missing her flight to New York because of the heavy traffic on the way to the airport. In this sentence, "nearly missing" indicates that Jenny was very close to not making it to her flight, but she managed to arrive just in time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

An analogous fossil record of subsurface life is nearly missing on Earth.

Planetary and Space Science

Tim set the tone for the rest of the trip by nearly missing the flight from Gatwick.

The Guardian - Travel

Tiger Woods rallied for a 69 a day after nearly missing the cut with a 77, but was still six strokes back at 212.

The New York Times - Sports

GRAY OFF THE AIR The Golf Channel removed Jim Gray from its coverage for his handling of Dustin Johnson's penalty for nearly missing his tee time in the opening round.

The New York Times - Sports

After nearly missing a birdie on No. 3, he stuck it close on the par-3 No. 4 and sank the short putt for his first birdie of the day to get back to one under.

The New York Times

"It's not the party it used to be," said Steve Mason, the bearded and buckskin-clad band member who first came up with the idea after nearly missing the filing deadline.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

"We nearly missed the flight".

The New York Times - Travel

I nearly missed the flight.

The Guardian - Sport

I nearly missed my First Communion.

The New Yorker

Ms. Liu nearly missed her chance.

The New York Times

I nearly missed my flight.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a close call, use "nearly missing" to effectively convey the sense of urgency and proximity to the missed event or opportunity. For example: "She was "nearly missing" her train after the unexpected delay."

Common error

Avoid using "nearly" repetitively in your writing. Vary your language by using synonyms like "almost", "just about", or rephrasing to emphasize the avoidance of the missed event using terms like "barely avoiding" or "narrowly escaping".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nearly missing" primarily functions as a verb phrase, where "nearly" acts as an adverb modifying the participle "missing". Ludwig indicates it's a standard English construction, supported by numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "nearly missing" is a versatile and correct way to express that something almost didn't happen or someone almost failed to achieve something. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used. It's important to remember that the context can shift the tone, making it suitable for news, general conversation, or academic discussions. While frequently used, you may consider alternating with options such as "almost missing" or "barely avoiding" to avoid repetition. Remember to consider the source quality as well!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost missing

Replaces "nearly" with "almost", maintaining a very similar meaning of coming close to missing.

just about missing

Adds a slight emphasis to the closeness of the miss.

coming close to missing

Expands the phrase to explicitly state the closeness to missing something.

barely avoiding

Shifts the focus to avoidance, implying a close call.

on the verge of missing

Highlights the imminence of missing something.

narrowly escaping

Emphasizes the element of escaping an undesirable situation.

inches away from missing

Uses a more figurative and visual expression to describe how close one came to missing.

within a hair's breadth of missing

Employs an idiomatic expression to convey the narrow margin.

dodging missing

Presents avoiding missing as a proactive action, like dodging.

averting missing

Highlights preventing the act of missing.

FAQs

How can I use "nearly missing" in a sentence?

You can use "nearly missing" to describe situations where someone or something almost failed to achieve a goal or experience an event. For example, "He was "nearly missing" his flight due to traffic."

What's a synonym for "nearly missing"?

Alternatives for "nearly missing" include "almost missing", "barely avoiding", or "just about missing", each offering a slightly different nuance.

Is it better to say "almost missed" or "nearly missed"?

Both "almost missed" and "nearly missed" are grammatically correct and can be used interchangeably in many contexts. The choice often depends on personal preference or the specific tone you want to convey.

Can "nearly missing" apply to abstract concepts or only physical ones?

"Nearly missing" can apply to both abstract and physical concepts. For example, you could say "He was "nearly missing" the point of the argument" (abstract) or "She was "nearly missing" the bus" (physical).