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

Example 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
Violent assaults in France ranked near the middle of the OECD list with 310 cases per 100,000 in the population. Simon Constable, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Fofana was on the phone with a friend who told the family the two were talking about the cost of socks near Fofana’s job when the victim suddenly stopped speaking and the friend heard only background noise, the friend told the family. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Tyler Stephenson is set to return for the Reds in the near future and Cincinnati recently locked up Trevino to a multi-year deal. John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 The Americans are without their two starting center backs for at least the near future. Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Adverb
None of the current goalkeepers on the club’s books are anywhere near as accomplished, making the question of how Penders’ development is handled much more fraught. Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025 Keeler: Sienna Betts staked claim as Colorado’s greatest girls basketball player in Grandview’s state title win To that end, each Yale player after their news conference had that same aerosol-sized can of portable oxygen waiting at, or near, their locker. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
The club feel the same will be true of Van Dijk, whose own two-year contract extension is also nearing confirmation. Simon Hughes, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 For voters who haven’t filled out a ballot, here are some of the biggest questions facing the mayoral race as Election Day nears. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for near
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near
Preposition
  • Those companies—Fanatics, Under Armour, Adidas, New Balance, New Era Cap, Nike, Puma, Lululemon, Amer Sports, Asics and Dick’s Sporting Goods—utilize 2,508 factories around the world.
    Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Still, there is a general unspoken etiquette around what a guest should not wear to a wedding.
    Emily Chan, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The narrow five-game spread between the top and bottom performers illustrates the relative consistency in baseline predictive ability.
    Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • China’s projection of relative strength belies the grave harm the Trump administration’s tariffs could potentially inflict on the country.
    David Pierson, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • With Asian elephants—its closest living relatives—facing a 22-month pregnancy and a decade-long wait for maturity, researchers needed a faster way to test their genetic edits.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Six more living hostages returned this past Saturday, but with further outrages by Hamas.
    The Editors, National Review, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • And Amanda Marsalis and April Blair are some of my closest friends now.
    Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The new Charlotte Knights’ manager pitched for four MLB teams from 2010 to 2015, recording 30 saves as the closer for the Chicago White Sox in 2011.
    Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Cannes Film Festival head Thierry Frémaux said there’s more to come, but this wasn’t your typical Cannes Competition lineup studded with older, familiar auteurs.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
  • There was also a memorandum of agreement about the move signed on Monday by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek, according to one source familiar.
    Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • In addition, anime in and of itself is a very broad catch all term that could mean a plethora of different genres to an animation veteran.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • When waves wash in, the water flows out through the channels in strong currents that can surprise swimmers and waders and swiftly carry them away from the beach.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • David Tennant almost didn’t portray one of his most iconic roles to date.
    Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Famously owned by the actor and musician for almost a decade until 2001, when the place traded hands for around $2.2 million, records show the property was last sold to politician Justin Aguilera and his beauty entrepreneur wife Candace in 2020 for nearly $3 million.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • So far, the MSS team has worked alongside its partners to install more than 87,000 Reef Stars with approximately 1.3 million corals attached.
    Cat Cardenas, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In addition to married women who have changed their name, there are approximately four million men whose names don’t match their birth certificates for a number of reasons.
    Holly Corbett, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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