1
as in intimacy
the state of being in a very personal or private relationship
my cousin and I have lost that nearness we had when we were kids
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in proximity
the state or condition of being near
our nearness to the theme park has made us beloved by relatives from all over the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nearness
The nearness of bees, and of other things that agitate most people, calms me.
—
Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Overstating the nearness of human-level intelligence or ignoring ethical, safety, and energy concerns erodes trust and triggers backlash.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Overstating the nearness of human-level intelligence or ignoring ethical, safety, and energy concerns erodes trust and triggers backlash.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nearness
Noun
-
Your curiosity leads toward intimacy.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Reviewing the product for The New York Times, the journalist and parent Amanda Hess expressed her surprise at how deftly Grem sought to create connection and intimacy in conversation.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Lovers of all things Tuscany will appreciate the city’s proximity to the region’s renowned wineries, rolling landscapes, and idyllic dolce far niente lifestyle.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The administrator of a study-abroad program told me about a mom who moved to France for proximity to her daughter.—
Russell Shaw,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Here is the iron form of the grief memoir, no less powerful for its deep familiarity.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Seven Castain’s knowledge of ‘Seinfeld’ Castain was born in 2004, and her familiarity with a TV show is limited since Seinfeld signed off in ‘98.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
To keep all your belongings safe in one easy-to-reach space, consider investing in a wallet that can do it all, like this travel-size one from Zero Grid.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Many of the residents have lost their belongings.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Texas, kids taken into state custody leave a kinship placement twice as often as the nationwide rate, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal data tracking kids removed from their homes in a four-year period.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Murphy, who like Steininger and Yurkevich has been exploring the question for its own sake, independent of his day job, feels a kinship across the centuries with Prince Rupert.—
Erica Klarreich,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nearness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nearness. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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