as in narrow escape
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 call
The day after the close call NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the business jet crew appeared to fail to follow instructions.
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Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
The country has seen a recent spate of aviation disasters and close calls stoking fears about air travel, though flying remains a safe way to travel.
—arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2025
The board discovered thousands of close calls between helicopters and planes near the airport in the past three years, culminating with a Jan. 29 crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane that killed 67 people.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025
The elevated driving position and large windows offered great visibility and there were zero close calls or honked horns.
—Josh Max, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for close call
Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
The country has seen a recent spate of aviation disasters and close calls stoking fears about air travel, though flying remains a safe way to travel.
—arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2025
The board discovered thousands of close calls between helicopters and planes near the airport in the past three years, culminating with a Jan. 29 crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane that killed 67 people.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025
The elevated driving position and large windows offered great visibility and there were zero close calls or honked horns.
—Josh Max, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for close call
Cite this Entry
“Close call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close%20call. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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