near miss

IPA/ˌnɪə ˈmɪs/
IPA/ˌnɪr ˈmɪs/

near miss — noun

1. describes a situation where a moving object — such as a car, plane, bullet, or p

1.名詞B2
釋義

describes a situation where a moving object — such as a car, plane, bullet, or person — passes extremely close to another object without hitting it; also used for any dangerous event that stops just short of becoming a catastrophe

例句

Two passenger planes had a near miss over the Atlantic Ocean last week.

had a near miss + location phrase

The tower reported a near miss when a jet crossed too close to the runway.

report a near miss + [clause]

同義詞
  • close call

    more informal and conversational; expresses relief that danger was avoided

  • narrow escape

    emphasises the danger and luck involved in avoiding harm

  • near thing

    British informal; similar to 'close call'

反義詞
  • direct hit

    for events involving missiles or thrown objects

文法句型

have a near miss

report a near miss

用法筆記

Common in safety reports, aviation, and traffic contexts. Frequently used with the verbs 'have', 'report', and 'avoid'.

常見錯誤

❌The driver reported a near miss collision.
✅The driver reported a near miss.
💡'collision' is redundant because 'near miss' already implies no contact occurred.
❌We had a near miss of hitting the dog.
✅We had a near miss with the dog.
💡'near miss' uses the preposition 'with', not 'of'.

2. applies when you try to reach a target and come extremely close to succeeding, b

2.名詞B2
釋義

applies when you try to reach a target and come extremely close to succeeding, but ultimately fall short — such as submitting a job application that reaches the final round and is then turned down, or losing an election by just a handful of votes

例句

Rohan's bid for the contract was a near miss — he lost by a few points.

bid + be a near miss

The team's championship run ended in a near miss when they lost by one goal.

end in a near miss

同義詞
  • near success

    literal synonym; less idiomatic but clearer for learners

  • narrow defeat

    focuses on the loss aspect rather than the attempt itself

反義詞

文法句型

end in a near miss

be a near miss

用法筆記

Common in competitive contexts such as job applications, sports tournaments, business deals, and academic pursuits. Unlike sense 1, this sense involves no physical danger.

常見錯誤

❌Her interview was a near miss to get the job.
✅Her interview was a near miss in the hiring process.
💡'near miss' is followed by a context phrase ('in...'), not an infinitive.
❌The team had a near miss from winning.
✅The team had a near miss in the tournament.
💡use 'in' + context to describe where the near miss happened.