Does "near-sweep" mean an overwhelming victory?

**azhu** · 07-Nov-2012, 08:46

What does near-sweep mean?
Does it mean a victory that wins a lot more than the rival?

Thank you!

**5jj** · 07-Nov-2012, 08:48

Context?

**charliedeut** · 07-Nov-2012, 10:58

Originally Posted by 5jj

Context?

Sometimes I feel we could use an emoticon for this request

.

**azhu** · 07-Nov-2012, 11:15

Originally Posted by 5jj

Context?

Oh! I didn't know it has various meanings...sorry about that.

I found "near sweep" in this paragraph:
========
In defeating Mitt Romney, the president carried Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia and Wisconsin, a near sweep of the battleground states, and was holding a narrow advantage in Florida. The path to victory for Mr. Romney narrowed as the night wore along, with Mr. Obama winning at least 303 electoral votes.
========
Is this enough context? I hope I'm expressing my question clear enough this time!

**5jj** · 07-Nov-2012, 11:19

A near sweep is not quite a clean sweep.

**azhu** · 07-Nov-2012, 11:40

Originally Posted by 5jj

A near sweep is not quite a clean sweep.

So...does "near sweep" still sound like a huge victory?
("Not quite"here means "very close to~" right?)
Thanks.

**charliedeut** · 07-Nov-2012, 15:33

IMO, yes to both.

**SoothingDave** · 07-Nov-2012, 23:27

Note a near sweep of the battleground states, not of all of the states.

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