near 1 of 4

near

2 of 4

adjective

1
as in closer
being the less far of two grab the comforter from the near side of the bed and fold it in half

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in relative
being such only when compared to something else the incessant busyness of the family next-door makes us look like we live in near retirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5

near

3 of 4

adverb

1
as in in
at, within, or to a short distance or time as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire as summer draws near, we usually start planning our annual vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in closely
to a close degree copy the artist's drawing into your own sketchbook as near as you can

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

near

4 of 4

verb

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of near
Preposition
Game wardens found trash near the carcasses, which included rubber gloves similar to those used while butchering a deer, Game and Fish Spokesman Keith Stephens said. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 31 Dec. 2024 Efforts to understand, and prevent, bird strikes are ongoing Many airports are built near waterways and landfills, Pruchnicki notes, so naturally this leads to collisions between nature and planes. Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
He has been more involved further upfield than last season, seeing a near five per cent increase in his attacking-half touches compared to 2023-24. Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024 Hazem Malaka said that most of them were not officially recorded as dead because the victims’ bodies were left trapped in the rubble instead of being taken to the nearest hospital where deaths are registered. Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
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
Verb
The four-time MVP is nearing the end mark on arguably the worst healthy season of his storied NFL career. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024 That development, on Grant Avenue in Palo Alto, is nearing the finish line, with completion expected in 2025. Joe Simitian, The Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for near 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near
Preposition
  • Fuzzy Locations The notion of quantum reference frames was first introduced in 1984, but multiple groups revived the idea around 2019, triggering a surge of recent study.
    Anil Ananthaswamy, WIRED, 29 Dec. 2024
  • Like all clubs, a variety of international flags can be spotted around home games at Elland Road.
    Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The three Americans met another relative, 22-year-old Jorge Eduardo Vargas Aguirre, in the city about 300 miles west of Monterrey, according to WMAQ.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 31 Dec. 2024
  • But as for conscious thought in the brain, that harried pace of information exchange slows to a relative crawl.
    Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Advertisement Tunney, who at 95 was the oldest living retired referee, died Thursday at his home in Pebble Beach, Calif.
    Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
  • The remaining area can be used for storage or renovated into more living space.
    Karen A. Avitabile, Hartford Courant, 1 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • That same year, billionaire Elon Musk, who's now one of Trump's closest allies, bought Twitter and renamed it X.
    Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 30 Dec. 2024
  • Its closest competitor is the Ford Ranger Raptor which starts from £59,000 ($74,000) with a 2.0-liter 208 bhp diesel engine or from £62,000 ($78,000) with the 288 bhp 3.0-liter petrol V6 engine.
    Trinity Francis, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • This northside Japanese steakhouse serves familiar Japanese and Japanese-American dishes like tempura, katsu, hot pot, sushi and hibachi dishes.
    Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Dec. 2024
  • On the other side, Nebraska faces off against fellow Big Ten titan Penn State in a clash of familiar foes.
    Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Adverb
  • This party might get a bit rowdy and Coote will allegedly fit right in.
    The Athletic Staff, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
  • All three victims were brought to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock by a 20-year-old Little Rock man who was driving the vehicle the victims were in at the time of the shooting, the release says.
    Ainsley Platt, arkansasonline.com, 28 Dec. 2024
Adverb
  • And the regular-season meetings have been almost as one-sided in recent years, with the Oilers winning three of four games last season and 11 of the last 15 dating to 2019.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2024
  • Smith ran an almost identical pattern to the sideline, and Beck hit him for a 34-yard gain.
    Seth Emerson, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Adverb
  • Nearly half of the world's population - approximately 4.5 billion people - currently lack adequate access to healthcare.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Germany has been one of Ukraine's closest allies and is the largest military supplier since the war began in February 2022, sending aid now and into the future valued at approximately 28 billion euros ($29.4 billion).
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near near

Cite this Entry

“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on near

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!