1
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
as in living
closely resembling the object imitated
the dress is made from a near silk that would fool anyone but an expert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in close
not being distant in time, space, or significance
the famous prediction that in the near future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in familiar
closely acquainted
only her nearest friends know she's pregnant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
3
as in almost
very close to but not completely
it's near six o'clock, so we should start preparing dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in approximately
close to but not exactly
it takes somewhere near an hour to get there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to close
to come near or nearer
as the procession nears, you'll be able to take a better picture of the graduates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of near
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Nov. 2025
Police are investigating a homicide after a body was found near a heavily trafficked area of a Nevada County park.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 9 Nov. 2025
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
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
There were some close calls — including a near-fumble and a near-interception on back-to-back plays late in the fourth quarter with the Ravens trying to run out the clock — but there were no turnovers.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Hopes that the shutdown may be nearing an end were buoyed Sunday evening after Senate lawmakers took a critical step towards a potential deal to reopen the government, but there are no guarantees lawmakers will come to an agreement anytime soon.
—Ian Thomas, CNBC, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Preposition
The injured man told them that a female friend had taken his truck and sold it to a man at a game room near East Berry Street and South Riverside Drive, police said.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Nov. 2025
Police are investigating a homicide after a body was found near a heavily trafficked area of a Nevada County park.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 9 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 recent years, Beijing has ramped up pressure on the island, including near-daily military flights across the Taiwan Strait and large-scale drills simulating a blockade.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
There were some close calls — including a near-fumble and a near-interception on back-to-back plays late in the fourth quarter with the Ravens trying to run out the clock — but there were no turnovers.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
Senators on Sunday neared a bipartisan deal that could reopen the government as soon as this week, though several big hurdles remain.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Hopes that the shutdown may be nearing an end were buoyed Sunday evening after Senate lawmakers took a critical step towards a potential deal to reopen the government, but there are no guarantees lawmakers will come to an agreement anytime soon.
—Ian Thomas, CNBC, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near
Preposition
-
The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with them as around 10-12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Director Michael Arden, meanwhile, is up to his elbows just moving the cumbersome Legos of Dane Laffrey’s set around.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 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
-
This was a decisive turn away from Hasina’s India-first posture and toward closer alignment with Beijing.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Highly acidic foods like pickles and tomatoes will react with the can after an extended period of time, causing both taste and texture changes so pay particularly close attention to expiration dates on these items.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 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
-
As South Asian publics have pushed back against governments closely aligned with New Delhi, Beijing has asserted itself, courting new regimes with loans and military hardware and stressing respect for their sovereignty.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
-
The next step was a bronchoscopy, a medical procedure that closely examines the airways of the lungs.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Veterans Day is almost here and there are plenty of freebies and discounts available for retired and active-duty military service members.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Notre Dame, meanwhile, has received more of the benefit of the doubt, though the Irish almost certainly can’t lose again, either.—
Grace Raynor,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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