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Which one to use?Advancedadverbioadverbio
AlmostvsNearly
'Almost' and 'nearly' both mean 'nearly', but 'almost' is more American and 'nearly' more British.
Side-by-side comparison
Almost
adverbioVery close to being true or complete. More common in American English. Used with quantities, time, and qualities.
I almost fell off my chair when I heard the price.
The meeting is almost over. Just five more minutes.
She almost never eats meat. Maybe once a month.
Nearly
adverbioVery close to something, about to. More common in British English. Suggests closeness in progress or distance.
I nearly forgot to call my mother on her birthday.
The project is nearly complete. Just the final review remains.
Nearly 200 people attended the event last Saturday.
Common mistake
- •There is no clear grammar error here: both are almost always interchangeable.
- •The most noticeable nuance is that "almost never" is more idiomatic than "nearly never", and "nearly" sounds more natural with quantities: "nearly 200 people".
Trick to remember it
- •For everyday American English, use "almost" in any situation and you will never be wrong.
- •"Nearly" is more common in British English and with approximate quantities.
Quick rule
- •"Almost" and "nearly" mean the same and are interchangeable in most contexts.
- •"Almost never" is preferred; "nearly 500 people" also sounds natural.
Did you know?
"Almost" comes from Old English "ealmæst" (all most, nearly all). "Nearly" comes from "near" + "-ly". That is why "nearly" retains a connotation of spatial or process proximity, etymologically it means "in a close manner". "Almost" is etymologically more about "the greater part of / nearly everything".
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
I _____ missed my bus this morning. I had to run the last hundred metres.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She _____ never goes to bed before midnight. She's a real night owl.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
ActuallyvsReally
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
AlreadyvsYet
"Already" expresses something happened sooner than expected; "yet" questions or denies whether something happened.
OnlyvsJust
"Only" emphasizes exclusivity; "just" can mean "barely", "simply", or "moments ago".
AbovevsOver
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy