near miss
C1Formal/Technical/Journalistic
Definition
Meaning
A situation in which two objects, aircraft, or events almost collide or almost happen, but do not actually make contact or occur.
A situation that is almost a success or disaster, but ultimately fails or is averted by a narrow margin; a narrowly avoided incident, often used metaphorically in non-aviation contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Literally, a 'near miss' is not a miss at all, but a 'near hit' – a paradox in terms. It's a well-established idiom with a stable meaning despite this logical contradiction. Can refer to both narrowly avoided accidents (aviation, safety) and narrowly failed attempts (sports, business).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Slightly more common in British English in everyday metaphorical use (e.g., 'a near miss in the election').
Connotations
Equally serious in both varieties when referring to accidents (especially aviation); slightly more flexible for metaphorical use in BrE.
Frequency
High frequency in technical/safety contexts in both; moderate frequency in general journalism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] had a near miss with [object/event]There was a near miss between [X] and [Y]It was a near miss for [person/entity]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It was a near miss, but a miss all the same.”
- “He doesn't count near misses.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a project or deal that almost succeeded but failed at the last moment, or a narrowly avoided financial/operational disaster.
Academic
Used in risk management, safety science, and human factors research to describe incidents with high potential for harm but no actual loss.
Everyday
Describes any situation where something bad or good almost happened but didn't (e.g., almost catching a train, almost having an accident while cycling).
Technical
A formal term in aviation safety, workplace health & safety, and military contexts, often requiring mandatory reporting and investigation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The near-miss incident was reported to the CAA.
- We need a near-miss reporting system.
American English
- The near-miss event triggered a full investigation.
- All near-miss data must be logged.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The two cars had a near miss at the roundabout.
- It was a near miss – the ball almost hit the window!
- Air traffic control investigated a near miss between a passenger jet and a private plane.
- The company's bid for the contract was a near miss; they came second by a tiny margin.
- The near miss over the North Sea prompted a review of international flight corridors.
- Her theory was a fascinating near miss, failing to predict the observed data by the narrowest of margins.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of two planes NEARly MISSing each other in the sky – a 'near miss' is when they almost hit.
Conceptual Metaphor
PATH/GOAL: The desired outcome (or disaster) is a location; a 'near miss' is coming very close to that location but not arriving. CONTAINER: The event of a collision/success is a container; a 'near miss' is just outside the boundary.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as "почти промах" (this implies a failed attempt to hit a target). The Russian equivalent is "чудом избежанная авария/катастрофа" or, more idiomatically, "пронесло" in casual speech.
- In aviation/safety contexts, use the calque "инцидент с риском столкновения" or the established term "опасное сближение".
Common Mistakes
- Using 'near miss' to mean a small/insignificant miss (e.g., 'My shot was a near miss' meaning it wasn't even close).
- Confusing 'near miss' with 'hit and miss' (which means inconsistent).
- Spelling as one word: 'nearmiss'.
- Using it as a verb (incorrect: 'He nearmissed the tree').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'near miss' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, logically it describes a 'near hit'. However, it's a fixed idiom with a well-understood meaning ('a miss that was very near/close to being a hit'). The illogical form is entrenched in the language.
Primarily, yes – it most often refers to accidents or disasters narrowly avoided. However, it can be used metaphorically for positive outcomes that were almost achieved but just failed (e.g., 'a near miss in the finals').
When used as a compound noun preceding another noun (acting as a modifier), it is often hyphenated: 'a near-miss report'. When used as a standalone noun phrase, it is usually not: 'The event was a near miss.'
They are largely synonymous in everyday use. 'Near miss' is more formal and strongly associated with technical/aviation contexts. 'Close call' is more colloquial and personal (e.g., 'That was a close call!' said after almost dropping a vase).