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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of near
Ryan Browne, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
It's nestled in the heart of Georgia’s picturesque wine country near Dahlonega, which boasts a storied history as one of the country's first gold rush towns.
—Kimberley Mok, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2025
Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2025
But investors are bracing for further pain in the near future, carefully choosing equities to withstand the volatility that could spell a wider range of potential outcomes for the overall market.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2025
With colder air filtering in behind the front, temperatures will gradually fall near or below freezing this afternoon into this evening.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2025
Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2025
The Big Story Trump administration nearing pharma tariffs plan
The Trump administration on Monday took a step toward enacting its aims to tariff pharmaceutical imports, disclosing plans to carry out an investigation into the effects on national security of importing certain pharmaceuticals.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Preposition
Workers cross a junction near the Bank of England (BOE) in the City of London, UK, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
—Ryan Browne, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
It's nestled in the heart of Georgia’s picturesque wine country near Dahlonega, which boasts a storied history as one of the country's first gold rush towns.
—Kimberley Mok, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Business Minister Jonathan Reynolds is reportedly set to visit China in the near future, and will be reviving the two countries’ joint Economic and Trade Commission.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2025
But investors are bracing for further pain in the near future, carefully choosing equities to withstand the volatility that could spell a wider range of potential outcomes for the overall market.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Economists say tariff revenues won’t come anywhere near to accomplishing even some of those goals.
—Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2025
With colder air filtering in behind the front, temperatures will gradually fall near or below freezing this afternoon into this evening.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
The average ticket price was $303, though some premium seating listed on the box office board neared $900.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2025
The Big Story Trump administration nearing pharma tariffs plan
The Trump administration on Monday took a step toward enacting its aims to tariff pharmaceutical imports, disclosing plans to carry out an investigation into the effects on national security of importing certain pharmaceuticals.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near
Preposition
-
Pope Francis, who died Monday at 88 years old, is due to be laid to rest in the days ahead following a Saturday funeral service sure to draw leaders from around the world.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
-
One of three women indicted last year on charges of selling fentanyl around the Bay Area has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 18 months, records show.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Remember, for all of their veteran savvy, this team is still a relative toddler, the two best players having been together barely three months and their coach in his first year.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
-
And for all the inequalities Aluko and Wright face, they are still insulated by the relative privilege of their footballing careers; BCOMS also noted that 69.1 percent of the roles filled by Black and Asian broadcasters belonged to former professional athletes.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
With Asian elephants—its closest living relatives—facing a 22-month pregnancy and a decade-long wait for maturity, researchers needed a faster way to test their genetic edits.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Six more living hostages returned this past Saturday, but with further outrages by Hamas.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Melania Trump wears black veil to Pope Francis' funeral as President Trump dons blue suit As the president's second term in office passes the 100-day mark, here is a closer look at the first lady's lookbook.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
His close alignment with Trump has damaged his tech company brands, and despite being one of the most proactive members of the president's team, his job approval rating has been ranked as even lower than Trump's.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The crossings also have to be familiar words all the way across those entries.—
Deb Amlen,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
In addition to its brand new placements, OVO also returns to a familiar home: the Official Physical Albums chart.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
And the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has also introduced mental health workshops into some certifications and courses that farmers and ranchers enroll in.—
Jessica Schreifels,
ProPublica,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Brunson and Josh Hart appeared to suffer injuries late in the game, but both checked back in.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
In the private sector, in which open standards, rapid product development, and fierce competition are the norm, many software innovations can be developed within a year and almost instantaneously adopted by consumers.—
MICHAEL BROWN,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Seven days of hell and three consecutive defeats later, Chris Wilder’s side went from being in the driving seat of the automatic promotion race to almost out of it.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Pete described the rubble as weighing approximately 70 tons.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The Hagia Sophia receives an average of around 50,000 visitors daily and approximately 6-7 million annually, according to Istanbul Deputy Akturkoglu. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Associated Press and Danuta Hamlin of Fox News contributed to this report.—
Ashley J. DiMella Fox News,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share