1
as in netting
a fabric made of strands loosely twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals
the basketball didn't go into the basket—it just hit the net
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Relevance
2
as in trap
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise
drug runners caught in an elaborate net set by the police
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1
as in profit
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received
his net for the year was about 60% of his total income
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
the net of the report on race relations is that things are better but not good enough
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1
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net
the kite was stubbornly netted in the branches of the willow tree
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
a police sting that netted drug dealers from all parts of the city
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of net
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
While the Russian threatened to make history against Chicago just two nights earlier—he’d reached the 894 mark before the Blackhawks yanked their goalie—Ovechkin apparently wasn’t interested in breaking the record by way of an empty net.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Rooftop lounge passes will net you a gorgeous view of the entire Silobration (plus drinks and snacks, too).
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for net
Noun
Democrats and Republicans can't agree on spending measures that would pay federal workers and save safety-net programs from running out of money — while GOP lawmakers are beefing over beef imports.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
While the Russian threatened to make history against Chicago just two nights earlier—he’d reached the 894 mark before the Blackhawks yanked their goalie—Ovechkin apparently wasn’t interested in breaking the record by way of an empty net.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Hundreds of agents swarmed apartments in the multi-story building, detaining several American citizens, including children, for hours and netting 37 total arrests.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Rooftop lounge passes will net you a gorgeous view of the entire Silobration (plus drinks and snacks, too).
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for net
Cite this Entry
“Net.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/net. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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