perilously close to

idiom

somewhat formal

: at or to a point where one is in great danger of (something happening)

The company was perilously close to bankruptcy.

She came perilously close to drowning.

Examples of perilously close to 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.

On Tuesday, the 77-year-old actor documented the flames coming perilously close to his property in several posts on X, sharing photos taken from his security cameras, according to the Daily Beast. —

Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025 In the eurozone, inflation has recently dropped perilously close to zero. —

Mark Blyth, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2014 Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, any move toward midnight should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning. —

Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025 The fire that sparked late Wednesday near the heart of the entertainment industry came perilously close to igniting the famed Hollywood Bowl outdoor concert venue. —

John Seewer, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for perilously close to

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“Perilously close to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perilously%20close%20to. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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