: 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
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
The Wuthering Heights press tour, for which Margot Robbie has returned to method-dressing mode, is near impossible to escape.
—Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2026
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
The Dera was founded in 1948 by the mystic Mastana Balochistani in the Haryana city of Sirsa, near the northern state’s borders with Punjab, India’s breadbasket, and the desert state of Rajasthan.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Analysts at Rosenblatt Securities on Friday upgraded Roku's stock to buy from neutral, citing the strong fourth-quarter results and several potential growth levers for the company in the near term.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
Michael Scott, a golf instructor who has worked at the course for 15 years, said Tuesday that users of the course and its driving range are frustrated, sad and confused as the closure nears.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for near
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Adverb
Every year, the BLS undertakes a process aimed at providing a near-complete employment count by squaring up the monthly survey estimates with data drawn from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program, which covers about 95% of US jobs.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
The Wuthering Heights press tour, for which Margot Robbie has returned to method-dressing mode, is near impossible to escape.
—Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2026
Preposition
The Kremlin said its aircraft reacted to a violation of a no-fly zone Russia has established in the area near Crimea.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
The Dera was founded in 1948 by the mystic Mastana Balochistani in the Haryana city of Sirsa, near the northern state’s borders with Punjab, India’s breadbasket, and the desert state of Rajasthan.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
In Europa's near-vacuum, heat from friction would dissipate quickly rather than building a lubricating surface layer.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Analysts at Rosenblatt Securities on Friday upgraded Roku's stock to buy from neutral, citing the strong fourth-quarter results and several potential growth levers for the company in the near term.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
There are five games left on the Big Ten schedule, starting with Thursday at Galen Center against an Indiana team that is desperate for wins as the early March Big Ten Tournament nears.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
Michael Scott, a golf instructor who has worked at the course for 15 years, said Tuesday that users of the course and its driving range are frustrated, sad and confused as the closure nears.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for near
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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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