: 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
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
With brother Nelson, Louis devised a system whereby special drones with three-dimensional wind sensors can be flown near, or even into, the cones of tornadoes to take such critical measurements low to the ground.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 July 2025
The center is on a remote, wildlife-rich airstrip near Big Cypress National Preserve.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Michael Sullivan, NPR, 12 July 2025
Lists in hand and kids in tow, parents flock to their nearest Staples or Walmart or Target looking to grab those notebooks, binders and colored pencils that line the list.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
At any moment, there is a lot happening in the ovary − some follicles are just beginning their recruitment process (about 1,000 are recruited each month), others are growing, and a few are nearing maturity.
—Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 30 June 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
High-income Americans The net income for the top 20% of earners would increase by nearly $13,000 per year, after taxes and transfers, according to an analysis of a near-final version of the Senate bill by Penn Wharton Budget Model.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
With brother Nelson, Louis devised a system whereby special drones with three-dimensional wind sensors can be flown near, or even into, the cones of tornadoes to take such critical measurements low to the ground.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Preposition
Once again, a smiling Rodón showed his love for Judge, waiting for the right fielder near the Yankees dugout after recording his last out of the evening.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 July 2025
The center is on a remote, wildlife-rich airstrip near Big Cypress National Preserve.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Adjective
The nearest one is probably 10 kilometers upstream, then another about 20 kilometers and the furthest around 40.
—Michael Sullivan, NPR, 12 July 2025
Lists in hand and kids in tow, parents flock to their nearest Staples or Walmart or Target looking to grab those notebooks, binders and colored pencils that line the list.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
Verb
Trail Blazers buying out Deandre Ayton On the eve of free agency, as midnight neared, news broke from ESPN’s Shams Charania that Portland is finalizing a contract buyout with Deandre Ayton.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
At any moment, there is a lot happening in the ovary − some follicles are just beginning their recruitment process (about 1,000 are recruited each month), others are growing, and a few are nearing maturity.
—Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 30 June 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 15 Jul. 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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