come close

idiom

1
: to almost do something
We didn't win, but we came close.
often + to
The band came very close to breaking up.
We came close to winning the championship this season.
2
: to be similar to something or as good as expected
She said they taste just like real hot dogs, but they don't even come close (to the real thing).

Examples of come close in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Although many regions aspire to emulate and surpass Silicon Valley, few have come close – especially in the democratic world. Dileep Rao, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024 But the Paramount tentpole does have a week's head start, and internationally, Wicked's $571 million cumulative estimate doesn't come close to Moana II's $790 million. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 23 Dec. 2024 Denver has been trying to recreate their dominant stretch but nothing has come close. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024 Other climbers have come close to flashing a route up El Capitan before Zangerl, with asterisks often being placed alongside their completions. George Ramsay, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for come close 

Dictionary Entries Near come close

Cite this Entry

“Come close.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20close. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!