as in narrow escapes
a barely successful escape from something undesirable
the doctor said I'd had a close call, and was lucky to be alive
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Recent Examples of close calls
This incident comes as the Department of Transportation has changed rules for helicopters flying around airports after recent close calls, including one at Burbank Airport.
—
Sarah Ploss, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
The two talked about some of Billy's close calls with death, his journey with music, his family and his identity.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
There have been some close calls along the way.
—Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
Other passengers told similar stories of close calls amid the chaos.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
Of course, close calls are far more common.
—Katie Jackson, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
The National Transportation Safety Board found FAA had raw data showing there were more than 15,000 close calls at the airport between October 2021 and December 2024, but the information was not analyzed until after the crash.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026
The 2022 Rookie of the Year had stacked up close calls and top finishes, building a reputation as a player perpetually on the verge.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026
That’s notable because Gonzalez has had some close calls.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
Sarah Ploss, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
The two talked about some of Billy's close calls with death, his journey with music, his family and his identity.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
There have been some close calls along the way.
—Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
Other passengers told similar stories of close calls amid the chaos.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
Of course, close calls are far more common.
—Katie Jackson, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
The National Transportation Safety Board found FAA had raw data showing there were more than 15,000 close calls at the airport between October 2021 and December 2024, but the information was not analyzed until after the crash.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 18 Mar. 2026
The 2022 Rookie of the Year had stacked up close calls and top finishes, building a reputation as a player perpetually on the verge.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026
That’s notable because Gonzalez has had some close calls.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close calls
close shaves
Noun
-
Villa rely on its revenue to push their limits, so going another year on the outside will mean player sales, budget cuts and very, very close shaves with financial sanctions.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Torreys are accustomed to, pun intended, close shaves.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Close calls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close%20calls. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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