Dictionary

nearlywed en · NOUN

Etymology

From nearly + wed, modeled on newlywed.

Meanings

1. A person who is engaged to be married.
   • As if his franks-and-beans incident in “There’s Something About Mary” weren’t enough, Ben Stiller courts more disaster as a nearlywed whose life becomes […] 2001, TV Guide, page 9:
   • The best advice for anyone about to buy furniture—and this goes for singles, nearlyweds, parents, and retirees—is study. 1974, Frances Heard, Harriet Burket, JoAnn Francis Gray, Founders Guide to Modern Decorating, New York, N.Y.: Popular Library, →LCCN, page 86:
   • Harnessing inspiration from the British seasons, the arrangements will not feature flowers out of character, which is ideal for those nearlyweds looking for floral inspiration in the lead up to their big day. 2019 April–May, Your Herts & Beds Wedding, →ISSN, page 15:
2. A person who lives with a romantic partner without being married.
   • Call them "nearlyweds," couples with all the trappings of marriage—the home, the in-laws, the shared Labradoodle, maybe even the kids—but no actual marriage certificate. It's the latest relationship trend, and a growing one. But is it good or bad for women? Let nearlyweds themselves, and a few wise experts, fill you in. 2013 August 13, Shaun Dreisbach, “Are You a Nearlywed?”, in Glamour:

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