near 1 of 4

as in around
close to please don't cough near me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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
Health officials put the early death toll at 12, with more than 250 people injured, in Samangan province, near the epicenter. Masoud Popalzai, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025 Skyridge Glamping For a couple’s getaway, the adults-only Skyridge Glamping near Kananaskis Village blends luxury with nature inside eco-cabins that bring the outdoors inside. Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
And the global population of whales declined precipitously to the point of near extinction. Justin Worland, Time, 5 Nov. 2025 How to Get There Arraial do Cabo is about a three-hour drive from Rio de Janeiro, where the nearest major airport is Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport (GIG), serving domestic and international flights. Aaron Randolph, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
Adverb
In situations of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a secure location, such as a nearby business's parking lot, to pull over and come to a stop. Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2025 Today, travelers come from near and far to take in this magnificent scene, as well as the jaw-dropping views from Lookout Mountain, the history of the destination, and a plethora of other interesting things to see and do. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
As Hurricane Melissa neared the Jamaican coast, winds in the spiraling wall of clouds around its eye gusted to almost unimaginable speeds. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025 When Rubenstein asked whether the massive market capitalizations of major tech firms, some nearing $5 trillion, signal a potential bubble, Solomon offered a historical perspective. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for near
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near
Preposition
  • In September, Vanity Fair wrote a story detailing new revelations around his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson’s correspondence with the disgraced financier.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Helm waits around for the skies to clear.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In that sense, shortages on the Colorado River will have a small relative impact on Queen Creek — likely bringing about three years of higher water rates for residents — but the town is still far from a long-term renewable water supply that can meet its growth potential.
    Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The incredible women in the comments reminded me [that] beauty is relative.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Because these ultra-small devices are fused with living biological cells before injection, they are not rejected by the immune system and can cross the blood-brain barrier naturally, a key advantage over conventional implants that require invasive access.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
  • There’s a wonderful chapter in which an older woman extolls a younger one to tell a painful story not with words, but with movements, so as to expel her pain without enlisting narrative’s power to summon, and thus force a re-living, of painful events.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Trump levied his greatest assault against the international economic order, announcing the most expansive set of tariffs in American history on both autocratic adversaries and America’s closest democratic allies in April 2025 (Russia was strikingly excluded).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Trump, however, made inroads with New Jersey voters in November 2024, making for a surprisingly close race.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • With spoofing tools, criminals can mimic real bank phone numbers and even use AI to reproduce familiar voices.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The common ingredients are incredible storytellers who are excited about trying to make a series that feels authentic and realistic, and maybe feels familiar, but in a way that also feels elevated and sophisticated.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Childs, who flew in from Atlanta, said her flight was delayed due to aircraft issues.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • As for the skirt, the silhouette was breezy and looked to be easy to move around in.
    Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • In other words, investors might bail on companies such as Nvidia, Oracle, and CoreWeave, whose fates are deemed too closely tied up with OpenAI’s.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Limited partners — the fund investors — are also scrutinizing managers more closely than ever, demanding stronger performance and tighter governance.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Cuomo’s desperate campaign — almost certainly his last — tried to knit together a coalition of Republicans, independents, and Democrats worried that a socialist mayor would wreck their city and their party.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Filler shots of chauffeurs, champagne and colossal walk-in closets with pristine designer clobber glistening and gleaming from glass shelves centred around trays and trays of priceless jewels assault the viewer’s senses between almost every scene.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

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