: close to
beaches near the city
seemed to be near death
1
a
: not far distant in time, place, or degree
in the near future
b
: almost happening : narrowly missed or avoided
a near win in the primary
a near midair collision
c
: nearly not happening
a near escape
2
: closely related or intimately associated
her nearest and dearest friend
3
a
: being the closer of two
the near side
b
: being the left-hand one of a pair
the near wheel of a cart
5
6
a
: closely resembling the standard or typical
a near desert
b
: approximating the genuine
near silk
nearness
noun
Examples of near in a Sentence
Adverb
The plant was near dead when I got it.
as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire
Preposition
I left the box near the door.
The cat won't go near fire.
There are several beaches near here.
She came home near midnight.
We feared he was near death.
Adjective
The nearest grocery store is three blocks away.
The near side headlight is out.
Verb
As the date of the performance neared, we grew more and more anxious.
He always cheers up when baseball season nears.
The airplane began to descend as it neared the island.
He must be nearing 80 years of age.
The negotiators were nearing a decision.
Recent Examples on the Web
semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
The bodies were found near two vehicles belonging to the victims.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
Stephanie Wenger, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
The nearest train station, in Brescia, is approximately a 45-minute drive away, while the charming town of Salò, home to the lake's longest promenade, is just 15 minutes by car.
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
As the final decision nears, the past returns, putting love, trust, and up to $500,000 on the line.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
Wind giant Ørsted sues White House Energy giant Ørsted and two US states sued the White House over its obstruction of a near-complete offshore wind farm, part of the administration’s move away from renewables.
—semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Preposition
Much of the focus since the Premier League’s newest venue opened last month has understandably been on its space-age design, and how this temple of glass and steel near the mouth of the River Mersey looks so out of place with its surrounds.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
The bodies were found near two vehicles belonging to the victims.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
However, fans shouldn’t expect any major changes to the show’s format in the near future.
—Stephanie Wenger, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
The nearest train station, in Brescia, is approximately a 45-minute drive away, while the charming town of Salò, home to the lake's longest promenade, is just 15 minutes by car.
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
But debate has been pointed on even slight changes in wording as the City Council nears a final vote on the plan.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
As the final decision nears, the past returns, putting love, trust, and up to $500,000 on the line.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
near
1 of 4 adverb1
: at, within, or to a short distance or time
night was drawing near
2
: in a condition or state resembling or close to : almost
near dead
3
: nearly sense 1
near related
near
2 of 4 preposition(ˈ)ni(ə)r
: close to
standing near the door
near
3 of 4 adjectiveˈni(ə)r
1
: closely related or associated
her nearest and dearest friend
2
a
: not far away
the near future
b
: barely avoided
a near disaster
c
: almost not happening
a near victory
3
: being the closer of two
the near side of a hill
4
: direct entry 2 sense 1, short
the nearest route
5
: closely resembling a model or a genuine example
near silk
nearness
noun
near
4 of 4 verbˈni(ə)r
: to come near : approach
the ship was nearing the dock
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