not nearly

/nɑt ˈnɪərli/
adverbial phraseIntermediate
informal

far from being enough or sufficient

His apology was not nearly sincere enough to fix the damage.

The apology lacked the depth of sincerity required to repair the situation.

The team's performance was not nearly good enough to win the championship.

The team's performance was significantly below the level needed to secure the title.

💡

Often used to emphasize a significant shortfall or inadequacy.

Collocations

not nearly enoughfar from sufficientnot nearly asfar from being as

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

nowhere nearphrase
far from
far fromphrase
not at all

💡Pro Tip

Emphasizing Shortfall

Use 'not nearly' to highlight a significant gap between what is expected and what is delivered.

Gold Rule

Contextual Use

Ensure the context clearly indicates what is being compared or measured to avoid ambiguity.

📖Word Origin

Combination of 'not' and 'nearly', emphasizing a lack of proximity to a desired standard.

📝Usage Notes

Used to express that something is significantly short of expectations or requirements.

Word Breakdown

not
negation
prefix
+
nearly
close to
adverb
English Dictionary