: 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
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
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2025
None of the current goalkeepers on the club’s books are anywhere near as accomplished, making the question of how Penders’ development is handled much more fraught.
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
David Axe, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
The bus was near East 163rd Street and Trinity Avenue in the Morrisania area of the Bronx when it was unexpectedly hit at around 2:20 p.m. local time on Friday, March, 21, Fox 5 New York, ABC 7 NY and News 12 reported.
—Latoya Gayle, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
As far as the roster itself, Reinsdorf and a front office overhauled by second-year general manager Chris Getz seem to have the Sox built for a sale in the near future.
—Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
As her period of study was nearing its end, her father decided that her public thesis defense should be held in Rovigo to increase her fame in the Republic of Venice.
—Manuela Callari, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
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Adverb
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
None of the current goalkeepers on the club’s books are anywhere near as accomplished, making the question of how Penders’ development is handled much more fraught.
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Preposition
In the video, the drone is circling a structure somewhere near the front line in Ukraine—potentially a base for Ukrainian troops—and apparently preparing to assess the damage from a KAB strike that’s already underway.
—David Axe, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
The bus was near East 163rd Street and Trinity Avenue in the Morrisania area of the Bronx when it was unexpectedly hit at around 2:20 p.m. local time on Friday, March, 21, Fox 5 New York, ABC 7 NY and News 12 reported.
—Latoya Gayle, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
What Happens Next Flooding can cause billions of dollars in damages—and flood insurance is likely to become even more expensive for California homeowners in areas poised to become more vulnerable in the near future.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
As far as the roster itself, Reinsdorf and a front office overhauled by second-year general manager Chris Getz seem to have the Sox built for a sale in the near future.
—Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
March is nearing its last gasp and April is nearly upon us.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
As her period of study was nearing its end, her father decided that her public thesis defense should be held in Rovigo to increase her fame in the Republic of Venice.
—Manuela Callari, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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
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