1
a
: an open-meshed fabric twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals
b
: something made of net: such as
(1)
: a device for catching fish, birds, or insects
(2)
: a fabric barricade (see barricade entry 2 sense 1a) which divides a court in half (as in tennis or volleyball) and over which a ball or shuttlecock must be hit to be in play
(3)
: the fabric that encloses the sides and back of the goal (see goal sense 2a) in various games (such as soccer or hockey)
shot the puck into the net
2
: an entrapping device or situation
caught in the net of suspicious circumstances
cannot escape the net of circumstances in which he is caught—
W. P. Webb
W. P. Webb3
: something resembling a net in reticulation (as of lines, fibers, or figures)
the net of global communication
… the systemic net of restrictions …—John Edgar Wideman
John Edgar Wideman4
a
: a group of communications stations operating under unified control
Army radio net
b
5
or less commonly Net
: internet
world news on the Net
netted; netting
1
: to cover or enclose with or as if with a net
2
: to catch in or as if in a net
3
: to cover with or as if with a network
4
a
: to hit (a ball) into the net for the loss of a point in a racket game
b
: to hit (a ball or puck) into the goal for a score (as in hockey or soccer)
also
: to score (a point or goal) by netting a ball or puck
netter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of net in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the basketball didn't go into the basket—it just hit the net
drug runners caught in an elaborate net set by the police
caught in a net of palace intrigues
Verb (1)
the kite was stubbornly netted in the branches of the willow tree
a police sting that netted drug dealers from all parts of the city
Adjective
The net result of the new bridge will be fewer traffic jams.
Verb (2)
the entrepreneur netted millions on that deal
Noun (2)
his net for the year was about 60% of his total income
the net of the report on race relations is that things are better but not good enough
Recent Examples on the Web
Ben Church, CNN, 23 Oct. 2024
Loading your audio article Tyler Toffoli scored for the fourth time in five games, and Luke Kunin and Fabian Zetterlund both found the back of the net, but the San Jose Sharks could not overcome a disastrous first period in a 8-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024
Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 24 Oct. 2024
According to Hyperallergic, the free programs netted more than 300,000 visitors in the past year, 60 percent of whom identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and many of whom were younger than the typical attendee.
—News Desk, Artforum, 24 Oct. 2024
Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
The lender reported attributable net profit of £1.17 ($1.52 billion) for the period, up from £866 million the previous year.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for net 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Noun
American Christian Pulisic scored Milan’s first goal from a corner kick, which evaded everyone before sneaking into the net.
—Ben Church, CNN, 23 Oct. 2024
Loading your audio article Tyler Toffoli scored for the fourth time in five games, and Luke Kunin and Fabian Zetterlund both found the back of the net, but the San Jose Sharks could not overcome a disastrous first period in a 8-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
Wednesday's winning Powerball ticket was sold in Georgia at a convenience store — netting the lucky buyer a $478 million jackpot, the state lottery said.
—Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 24 Oct. 2024
According to Hyperallergic, the free programs netted more than 300,000 visitors in the past year, 60 percent of whom identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and many of whom were younger than the typical attendee.
—News Desk, Artforum, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
And since Steinbrenner and his siblings inherited the club from their late father in 2010—pushing each of their net worths past $1 billion—their tenure has been defined by early playoff exits, bloated superstar contracts and a disgruntled fan base.
—Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
The lender reported attributable net profit of £1.17 ($1.52 billion) for the period, up from £866 million the previous year.
—Jenni Reid, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for net
Dictionary Entries Near net
Cite this Entry
“Net.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/net. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
net
1 of 5 noun1
: a fabric made of threads, cords, ropes, or wires that weave in and out with much open space
2
: something made of net: as
a
: a device for catching fish, birds, or insects
b
: a fabric barricade which divides a court in half (as in tennis or badminton)
c
: the fabric that encloses the sides and back of the goal (as in hockey or soccer)
3
: something that traps like a net
a net of thorns
4
: a network of lines, fibers, or figures
5
often capitalized
: internet
netted
adjective
ˈnet-əd
net
2 of 5 verb
netted; netting
1
: to cover with or as if with a net
2
: to catch in or as if in a net
net fish
3
: to hit the ball into the net in a racket game
netter
noun
net
3 of 5 adjective
: free from all charges or deductions
net profit
net weight
net
4 of 5 verb
netted; netting
: to gain or produce as profit
netted five dollars on the sale
net
5 of 5 noun
: a net amount, profit, weight, or price
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