: 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
Zach Harper, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
The pace of launches could ramp up by the end of 2024 to a near twice-weekly rate with as many as 111 missions possible.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Dec. 2024
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Moton is set to count $31 million against the salary cap next season and likely will be asked to take a pay cut, much like Jordan Gross was near the end of his career.
—Joseph Person, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Ahmed Walid, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Insults follow crimes; anonymous texts sent to Black people after the election ordered them to report to the nearest plantation to pick cotton.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Karen Brettell, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
Three decades of water damage nearly did Michigan Central in, as consensus seems to be the structural integrity was nearing the point of no return when Ford purchased it in May 2018.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for near 
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Adverb
His brand, game and the infinite debates about his place in his sport’s history are damn near unavoidable.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
The pace of launches could ramp up by the end of 2024 to a near twice-weekly rate with as many as 111 missions possible.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Dec. 2024
Preposition
Grande’s smash is now included in a group that includes the bestselling and most beloved holiday songs of all time, with most of them appearing near her at the moment.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Moton is set to count $31 million against the salary cap next season and likely will be asked to take a pay cut, much like Jordan Gross was near the end of his career.
—Joseph Person, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
When De Ligt tried to find Manchester United’s right wing-back or forward…
… they were tightly marked by Burn and Hall, with the nearest passing options under pressure.
—Ahmed Walid, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Insults follow crimes; anonymous texts sent to Black people after the election ordered them to report to the nearest plantation to pick cotton.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
The Bank of Japan expects the economy to move closer to sustainably achieving the central bank's 2% inflation target next year, Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Wednesday, suggesting the timing of its next interest rate increase was nearing.
—Karen Brettell, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
Three decades of water damage nearly did Michigan Central in, as consensus seems to be the structural integrity was nearing the point of no return when Ford purchased it in May 2018.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 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 5 Jan. 2025.
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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