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
Adjective
The net result of the new bridge will be fewer traffic jams.
Recent Examples on the WebCharles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
Those that haven’t been identified through Western taxonomy end up falling through the net of conservation programs.
—Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Dressed in a gray sweatsuit and talking trash, LaMelo Ball fires up a shot from halfcourt that swishes through the net, causing the Charlotte Hornets star to take a dig at rookie Amari Bailey.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
And, since the nets work for just over two years, 1.3 lives are saved.
—Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024
The Spanish keeper passed the ball straight to Rodrygo who willingly looped the ball over him into the net just before half-time.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
With the game seemingly headed to overtime, Jacob Hayhurst found the back of the net with fewer than five minutes remaining to give the Mavericks a victory before lunchtime.
—Zach Welch, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Later that evening, Florian Wirtz scored Germany’s fastest ever international goal as his team claimed a 2-0 victory against France in Lyon, taking just a second longer than Baumgartner to find the back of the net.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
But his biggest shot came down one in overtime, taking a pass at the top of the key, driving right into the lane and hoisting a soft bank shot that nestled into the net for the lead with 14 seconds left.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
Sydney Lake, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
The net result of this entails more desk jobs or sedentary tasks and less physical movement; when holistically netted across the global economy over the course of multiple decades, this phenomenon has certainly made a significant impact on human health.
—Sai Balasubramanian, M.d., J.d., Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Two Powerball players in Georgia netted big wins in the latest drawing.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
The headline Trump news on Friday was that investors in Truth Social, his money-losing social media platform, voted to take it public at a valuation that could net the former president about $3 billion.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Donald Trump's social media company Truth Social completed a merger Friday morning that could net the former president over $3 billion.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024
Completing a counterattack near halftime, the Americans punished a loose Brazilian defense to net the only goal.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024
Resolution ticks up at narrower apertures, and the lens nets results toward the top of our scale (4,700 lines) by f/8.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
Comedian Dana Goldberg led the fundraising portions of the evening, netting more than $30,000 from on-the-spot donations.
—Rance Collins, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024
Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Al Shola Gas delivered nearly $11 million and $1.8 million in 2023 revenue and net income respectively, with approximately $600,000 in bank borrowings on its balance sheet.
—Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
This could include healthcare needs and medical monitoring, property restoration and diminution, and compensation for any net business loss.
—Mark Osborne, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used by the Company for general working capital.
—Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2024
The Warriors rank 13th in net rating in that stretch, a hair above the Rockets in 14th.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Diane Hendricks and John Menard Jr. turn up on the 2024 iteration of the list, which Forbes ranks based on net worth and is calculated with stock prices and exchange rates as of March 8.
—Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
In tiny and exclusive Monaco, one's net worth would have to have eight digits, as only $12.9 million is enough to join the 1% club in the European micronation.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
With the exception of the first year of the pandemic, when the net outflow exceeded 33,000, that volume of people exiting the county hasn’t been seen in nearly three decades.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
Marquez didn’t have an angle but still found a way to put the ball in the net despite Diamond Hill-Jarvis’ goalkeeper blocking nearly the entire shooting lane.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
Those that haven’t been identified through Western taxonomy end up falling through the net of conservation programs.
—Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Dressed in a gray sweatsuit and talking trash, LaMelo Ball fires up a shot from halfcourt that swishes through the net, causing the Charlotte Hornets star to take a dig at rookie Amari Bailey.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
And, since the nets work for just over two years, 1.3 lives are saved.
—Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024
The Spanish keeper passed the ball straight to Rodrygo who willingly looped the ball over him into the net just before half-time.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
With the game seemingly headed to overtime, Jacob Hayhurst found the back of the net with fewer than five minutes remaining to give the Mavericks a victory before lunchtime.
—Zach Welch, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Later that evening, Florian Wirtz scored Germany’s fastest ever international goal as his team claimed a 2-0 victory against France in Lyon, taking just a second longer than Baumgartner to find the back of the net.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
But his biggest shot came down one in overtime, taking a pass at the top of the key, driving right into the lane and hoisting a soft bank shot that nestled into the net for the lead with 14 seconds left.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
Verb
Since then, he’s offloaded a total of 50 million shares, netting him $8.5 billion.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
The net result of this entails more desk jobs or sedentary tasks and less physical movement; when holistically netted across the global economy over the course of multiple decades, this phenomenon has certainly made a significant impact on human health.
—Sai Balasubramanian, M.d., J.d., Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Two Powerball players in Georgia netted big wins in the latest drawing.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
The headline Trump news on Friday was that investors in Truth Social, his money-losing social media platform, voted to take it public at a valuation that could net the former president about $3 billion.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Donald Trump's social media company Truth Social completed a merger Friday morning that could net the former president over $3 billion.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024
Completing a counterattack near halftime, the Americans punished a loose Brazilian defense to net the only goal.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024
Resolution ticks up at narrower apertures, and the lens nets results toward the top of our scale (4,700 lines) by f/8.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
Comedian Dana Goldberg led the fundraising portions of the evening, netting more than $30,000 from on-the-spot donations.
—Rance Collins, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The company is not profitable, and reported a net loss of about of $39 million in 2023.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Al Shola Gas delivered nearly $11 million and $1.8 million in 2023 revenue and net income respectively, with approximately $600,000 in bank borrowings on its balance sheet.
—Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
This could include healthcare needs and medical monitoring, property restoration and diminution, and compensation for any net business loss.
—Mark Osborne, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024
The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used by the Company for general working capital.
—Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2024
The Warriors rank 13th in net rating in that stretch, a hair above the Rockets in 14th.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
Diane Hendricks and John Menard Jr. turn up on the 2024 iteration of the list, which Forbes ranks based on net worth and is calculated with stock prices and exchange rates as of March 8.
—Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
In tiny and exclusive Monaco, one's net worth would have to have eight digits, as only $12.9 million is enough to join the 1% club in the European micronation.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
With the exception of the first year of the pandemic, when the net outflow exceeded 33,000, that volume of people exiting the county hasn’t been seen in nearly three decades.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'net.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near net
Cite this Entry
“Net.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/net. Accessed 16 Apr. 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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