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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of net
Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
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
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
Courtesy of Harbor Health A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
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
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 5 Nov. 2025.
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