net

1 of 5

noun (1)

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 caughtW. P. Webb
3
: 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
4
a
: a group of communications stations operating under unified control
Army radio net
5
or less commonly Net : internet
world news on the Net
netless adjective
netlike adjective
netty adjective

net

2 of 5

verb (1)

netted; netting

transitive verb

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

net

3 of 5

adjective

1
: free from all charges or deductions: such as
a
: remaining after the deduction of all charges, outlay, or loss
net earnings
net worth
compare gross
b
: excluding all tare
net weight
2
: excluding all nonessential considerations : basic, final
the net result
net effect

net

4 of 5

verb (2)

netted; netting

transitive verb

1
a
: to receive by way of profit : clear
b
: to produce by way of profit : yield
2
: to get possession of : gain

net

5 of 5

noun (2)

1
: a net amount, profit, weight, or price
2
: the score of a golfer in a handicap match after deducting his or her handicap from the gross score
3

Examples of net in a Sentence

Noun (1) the basketball didn't go into the basket—it just hit the net drug runners caught in an elaborate net set by the police caught in a net of palace intrigues Verb (1) the kite was stubbornly netted in the branches of the willow tree a police sting that netted drug dealers from all parts of the city Adjective The net result of the new bridge will be fewer traffic jams. Verb (2) the entrepreneur netted millions on that deal Noun (2) his net for the year was about 60% of his total income the net of the report on race relations is that things are better but not good enough
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Point was awarded his third goal of the game at Amalie Arena when Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren tried to play the puck behind him but instead put it into his own net. Jacob Lev, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024 Sturm Graz has found the back of the net just once in Champions League play, but has been rather stout on defense, allowing only six. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
To be clear, the Angels would have to net a massive return for this deal to make sense. Sam Blum, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024 Last year's polarizing debut was the most lucrative event in the history of Las Vegas, netting $1.5 billion—even more than the Super Bowl two months on. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Therefore, ore from the Montgomery-Polk counties region was added to the Batesville ore to reduce the net phosphate content. arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024 The increase in net loss is primarily due to higher interest expenses and changes in the fair value of derivative liabilities. Quartz Bot, Quartz, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for net 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English nett, from Old English; akin to Old High German nezzi net

Adjective

Middle English, clean, pure, from Anglo-French — more at neat entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1758, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of net was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near net

Cite this Entry

“Net.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/net. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

net

1 of 5 noun
1
: 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
netlike adjective
netted
ˈnet-əd
adjective

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
Etymology

Noun

Old English nett "net fabric"

Adjective

from earlier net "neat," from Middle English net "clean, bright," derived from Latin nitidus "bright, lustrous" — related to neat see Word History at neat

Medical Definition

net

noun
: network
in the portal system, blood passes through two capillary netsE. B. Steen & Ashley Montagu

Legal Definition

net

adjective
: remaining after deduction of all charges, outlay, or loss
the net proceeds
compare gross
Etymology

Adjective

Anglo-French, clean, pure, from Latin nitidus bright, neat, from nitēre to shine

More from Merriam-Webster on net

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