1
as in intimacy
the state of being in a very personal or private relationship
my cousin and I have lost that nearness we had when we were kids
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in proximity
the state or condition of being near
our nearness to the theme park has made us beloved by relatives from all over the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nearness
The nearness of the zealous asteroid Eris in Aries adds a touch of drama and intensity to the cosmic atmosphere.
—
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 June 2026
City officials say the project is complicated because of the nearness of the freeway and the Los Angeles River.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
That tension—between nearness and distance, inside and outside—defines the film’s structure and tone.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
The nearness of bees, and of other things that agitate most people, calms me.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Overstating the nearness of human-level intelligence or ignoring ethical, safety, and energy concerns erodes trust and triggers backlash.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 June 2026
City officials say the project is complicated because of the nearness of the freeway and the Los Angeles River.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
That tension—between nearness and distance, inside and outside—defines the film’s structure and tone.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
The nearness of bees, and of other things that agitate most people, calms me.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Overstating the nearness of human-level intelligence or ignoring ethical, safety, and energy concerns erodes trust and triggers backlash.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nearness
Noun
-
Nevertheless, plenty of kitchens that did make the cut share that same intimacy, with artful, unfussy cooking; even the handful of tasting-menu spots revealed a softer, lighter side of fine dining.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
-
For midlife women, those goals may include staying well enough to work, caring for children or aging parents, preserving intimacy, managing menopause symptoms, minimizing time away from home, protecting long-term health or reducing the chance of recurrence as much as possible.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
Its proximity to the fascinating capital of Kunming is also appealing for travelers who don’t intend to go to Tibet and never plan on leaving the city.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Its earliest iteration can be traced back to the 1870s, when Scottish inventor John Boyd Dunlop—best known for patenting the pneumatic tire—made good on his familiarity with rubber to design a low-top canvas shoe with a vulcanized rubber sole.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
15 June 2026
-
Booking a hotel in your own town pairs the familiarity of being close to home with the luxury of someone else making the beds.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
The story weaves together themes of migration, memory and intergenerational belonging, and was produced on a modest budget with no major stars or spectacle to drive ticket sales.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
For years, weight-loss marketing has presented body transformation as a straightforward pathway to confidence, belonging, happiness, and self-acceptance.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
But pretty soon the two interlopers into this small, grudge-holding but tight-knit community — the kind where, going back generations, everybody not only knows but is mightily resentful of everyone else’s business — develop a kind of outsider kinship.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
16 June 2026
-
Cramped passengers are ruled not by bonhomie but by hair-trigger aggression, while flight crews seek compliance rather than kinship.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nearness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nearness. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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