: close to
beaches near the city
seemed to be near death
1
a
: not far distant in time, place, or degree
in the near future
b
: almost happening : narrowly missed or avoided
a near win in the primary
a near midair collision
c
: nearly not happening
a near escape
2
: closely related or intimately associated
her nearest and dearest friend
3
a
: being the closer of two
the near side
b
: being the left-hand one of a pair
the near wheel of a cart
5
6
a
: closely resembling the standard or typical
a near desert
b
: approximating the genuine
near silk
nearness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of near in a Sentence
Adverb
The plant was near dead when I got it.
as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire
Preposition
I left the box near the door.
The cat won't go near fire.
There are several beaches near here.
She came home near midnight.
We feared he was near death.
Adjective
The nearest grocery store is three blocks away.
The near side headlight is out.
Verb
As the date of the performance neared, we grew more and more anxious.
He always cheers up when baseball season nears.
The airplane began to descend as it neared the island.
He must be nearing 80 years of age.
The negotiators were nearing a decision.
Recent Examples on the Web
Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 3 Nov. 2024
This means that the costs of a production can still rise years after release, though not usually by anywhere near as much as when it is being made.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The Editors, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
The mosquito has been found in locations in San Jose near Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park and also in Santa Clara, Gilroy and East San Jose.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
The Shazam! actress was a near constant presence in court during the three-week trial.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Gurufocus, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
In the years since, losses in some places have neared 20% — and were particularly acute following a massive flood event in 2019.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for near 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
Third Division officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision near I-265 and New Cut Road about 1:40 a.m., LMPD spokesperson Aaron Ellis said.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 3 Nov. 2024
This means that the costs of a production can still rise years after release, though not usually by anywhere near as much as when it is being made.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Preposition
The massive main compartment flays open completely near the back panel for easy packing and unpacking, with several other zippered access points for stuffing or pulling layers out on-the-go.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
The mosquito has been found in locations in San Jose near Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park and also in Santa Clara, Gilroy and East San Jose.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Australia’s defense spending exceeds the two-percent threshold and the country has big increases planned for the future, but defense experts in Australia have warned that these increases are all scheduled several years from now, which may be too late to deter Chinese belligerence in the near term.
—Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
The Shazam! actress was a near constant presence in court during the three-week trial.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
Verb
The initial upcycle for AI infrastructure may be nearing its peak as growth rates are starting to slow.
—Gurufocus, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
In the years since, losses in some places have neared 20% — and were particularly acute following a massive flood event in 2019.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for near
Articles Related to near
Dictionary Entries Near near
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
near
1 of 4 adverb1
: at, within, or to a short distance or time
night was drawing near
2
: in a condition or state resembling or close to : almost
near dead
3
: nearly sense 1
near related
near
2 of 4 preposition(ˈ)ni(ə)r
: close to
standing near the door
near
3 of 4 adjectiveˈni(ə)r
1
: closely related or associated
her nearest and dearest friend
2
a
: not far away
the near future
b
: barely avoided
a near disaster
c
: almost not happening
a near victory
3
: being the closer of two
the near side of a hill
4
: direct entry 2 sense 1, short
the nearest route
5
: closely resembling a model or a genuine example
near silk
nearness
noun
near
4 of 4 verbˈni(ə)r
: to come near : approach
the ship was nearing the dock
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