: close to
beaches near the city
seemed to be near death
1
a
: not far distant in time, place, or degree
in the near future
b
: almost happening : narrowly missed or avoided
a near win in the primary
a near midair collision
c
: nearly not happening
a near escape
2
: closely related or intimately associated
her nearest and dearest friend
3
a
: being the closer of two
the near side
b
: being the left-hand one of a pair
the near wheel of a cart
5
6
a
: closely resembling the standard or typical
a near desert
b
: approximating the genuine
near silk
nearness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of near in a Sentence
Adverb
The plant was near dead when I got it.
as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire
Preposition
I left the box near the door.
The cat won't go near fire.
There are several beaches near here.
She came home near midnight.
We feared he was near death.
Adjective
The nearest grocery store is three blocks away.
The near side headlight is out.
Verb
As the date of the performance neared, we grew more and more anxious.
He always cheers up when baseball season nears.
The airplane began to descend as it neared the island.
He must be nearing 80 years of age.
The negotiators were nearing a decision.
Recent Examples on the Web
Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024
The world works its green will; Its humid atmosphere
Summons us to a strident idleness,
Makes warm suggestion even leisure can oppress,
And heaven draw too near.
—Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 25 July 2024
Sean Conlon, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2024
The flight departed from Cascavel, a Brazilian city near the country’s southern border with Paraguay and Argentina.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2024
Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024
Popular on Variety She’s on an emotional slide; Beirut and Lebanon are – sometimes literally – near to collapse.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Aug. 2024
Michael Nowels, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024
Oregon is nearing its modern record for acres burned as the season reaches its peak, the Salem Statesman Journal reported.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for near 
Adverb
The pace of launches could ramp up by the end of 2024 to a near twice-weekly rate with as many as 111 missions possible.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024
The world works its green will; Its humid atmosphere
Summons us to a strident idleness,
Makes warm suggestion even leisure can oppress,
And heaven draw too near.
—Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 25 July 2024
Preposition
Tourists pass near a banner with the Paris 2024 logo before the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games on June 17, 2024 in Paris, France.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2024
The flight departed from Cascavel, a Brazilian city near the country’s southern border with Paraguay and Argentina.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2024
Adjective
There are currently four locations in the Chicagoland area, with the nearest to Milwaukee being just under an hour away in Libertyville, Ill.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024
Popular on Variety She’s on an emotional slide; Beirut and Lebanon are – sometimes literally – near to collapse.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Aug. 2024
Verb
Loading your audio article The 49ers’ trade-or-extension saga with Brandon Aiyuk may be nearing an end, if anyone is willing to make a final call.
—Michael Nowels, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024
Oregon is nearing its modern record for acres burned as the season reaches its peak, the Salem Statesman Journal reported.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for near
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'near.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to near
Dictionary Entries Near near
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
near
1 of 4 adverb1
: at, within, or to a short distance or time
night was drawing near
2
: in a condition or state resembling or close to : almost
near dead
3
: nearly sense 1
near related
near
2 of 4 preposition(ˈ)ni(ə)r
: close to
standing near the door
near
3 of 4 adjectiveˈni(ə)r
1
: closely related or associated
her nearest and dearest friend
2
a
: not far away
the near future
b
: barely avoided
a near disaster
c
: almost not happening
a near victory
3
: being the closer of two
the near side of a hill
4
: direct entry 2 sense 1, short
the nearest route
5
: closely resembling a model or a genuine example
near silk
nearness
noun
near
4 of 4 verbˈni(ə)r
: to come near : approach
the ship was nearing the dock
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share