come close
idiom
1
: to almost do something
We didn't win, but we came close.
—often + toThe 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
But, despite the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the rights enshrined in the Constitution, this country didn’t come close to being fully free and democratic until the 1960s, when Black people finally gained the right to vote throughout the land.
—
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
The Legislature ultimately passed 13 anti-theft bills that Newsom and Democrats hoped would satisfy voters, but didn’t come close.
—George Skelton, Mercury News, 3 June 2025
For that show, there are no flashbacks showing his torment from that life, but images of Black suffering are so rampant in our culture that depiction can come close to exploitation.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 2 June 2025
Federal budget analysts estimated the cost of extending Trump’s expiring 2017 tax cuts — a cornerstone of the legislative package — along with measures to nix taxes on tips and overtime pay, would come close to $4 trillion in the coming years.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 29 May 2025
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Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
The Legislature ultimately passed 13 anti-theft bills that Newsom and Democrats hoped would satisfy voters, but didn’t come close.
—George Skelton, Mercury News, 3 June 2025
For that show, there are no flashbacks showing his torment from that life, but images of Black suffering are so rampant in our culture that depiction can come close to exploitation.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 2 June 2025
Federal budget analysts estimated the cost of extending Trump’s expiring 2017 tax cuts — a cornerstone of the legislative package — along with measures to nix taxes on tips and overtime pay, would come close to $4 trillion in the coming years.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for come close
Cite this Entry
“Come close.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20close. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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