nearly never

USAGE SUMMARY

'nearly never' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to indicate that something is almost never the case or almost never happens. For example, "He nearly never makes mistakes" or "I nearly never forget to do something."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

And very rarely, as in nearly never, does anyone knock on the door to ask about becoming a novice.

The New York Times

I am raising a glass to the 23 years we very nearly never had, and to those colleagues who have not been so lucky".

The Guardian

The man is an artist, and the hard, focused work that constitutes an artist's waking life has nearly never been rendered successfully as drama.

The New York Times - Books

"Forgive me for not sounding so great, but I nearly never sang again," he says referring to the motorbike accident that almost killed him last year.

The Guardian - Music

Soon after Wednesday's action began, young men and women with pro-government youth groups could be seen clinging to the opposition activists, sometimes one-on-one, sometimes working zones on the sidewalk, so they were nearly never alone.

The New York Times

Galleries are frugal travelers' museums: not only are they nearly always free and nearly never musty, but they also provide insight into the local arts scene that would otherwise require a lot of trendy-cafe eavesdropping.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

Any American could one day find himself or herself branded a 'belligerent' and thus subject to the complete confiscation of his or her constitutional civil liberties and nearly never-ending incarceration in a military prison".

The Guardian - Opinion

Rupert Everett is one of theatre's most famous nearly men: never securely A-list, but staple fodder of the tabloids (take those pictures of him on the arm of Madonna).

The Guardian - Opinion

More remarkable: "Nearly half never received any college tuition from their parents or other relatives".

Forbes

Research shows that children, adolescents and adults with headache do not seek medical care for their headaches and nearly half never receive a diagnosis [3].

The Journal of Headache and Pain

But, the reaction of the All Blacks leaders afterwards spoke of the vast difference between nearly and never.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When employing "nearly never", consider whether alternatives like "almost never" or "rarely ever" might provide a more precise or stylistically appropriate nuance.

Common error

Avoid using "nearly never" when you mean something happens frequently. "Nearly never" signifies a very low probability or infrequent occurrence, the opposite of "almost always".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nearly never" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the frequency or likelihood of an action or state. It serves to soften the absolute negation of "never", implying a very low probability. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "nearly never" functions as an adverbial modifier to express a strong infrequency or improbability. It's considered grammatically correct and Ludwig AI confirms its proper use. While "never" denotes impossibility, "nearly never" implies a very low chance of occurrence. Related phrases include "almost never" and "rarely ever", which offer similar meanings. As demonstrated by Ludwig's examples, the term appears frequently in News & Media and Scientific contexts. Be mindful not to confuse it with "almost always", which expresses the opposite meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost never

Emphasizes the close proximity to 'never', implying a very low frequency.

virtually never

Highlights that something is so close to never happening as to be considered as such.

rarely ever

Highlights the infrequency of the event or action.

hardly ever

Suggests a minimal occurrence of something.

scarcely ever

Indicates that something happens very infrequently and is uncommon.

infrequently

A more formal term emphasizing the lack of frequency.

seldom

Implies a relatively low occurrence rate, more formal.

almost no time

Focuses on time, suggesting a minimal amount is dedicated.

on rare occasions

Highlights the exceptional nature of the event.

by no means ever

Emphasizes the lack of a possibility.

FAQs

How can I use "nearly never" in a sentence?

You can use "nearly never" to express that something almost never happens. For example, "He is so careful that he "nearly never" makes mistakes".

What's a good alternative to "nearly never"?

Alternatives to "nearly never" include phrases like "almost never", "rarely ever", or "hardly ever". They all convey a similar meaning of infrequent occurrence.

Is it grammatically correct to say "nearly never"?

Yes, "nearly never" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate something happens very infrequently or almost not at all.

What is the difference between "nearly never" and "never nearly"?

"Nearly never" emphasizes that something is close to never happening, while "never nearly" typically means that something isn't close to happening; it's definitively not happening at all. It's rare to use "never nearly".