1
2
as in relative
being such only when compared to something else
the incessant busyness of the family next-door makes us look like we live in near retirement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in living
closely resembling the object imitated
the dress is made from a near silk that would fool anyone but an expert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in close
not being distant in time, space, or significance
the famous prediction that in the near future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in familiar
closely acquainted
only her nearest friends know she's pregnant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in in
at, within, or to a short distance or time
as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire as summer draws near, we usually start planning our annual vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in almost
very close to but not completely
it's near six o'clock, so we should start preparing dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in approximately
close to but not exactly
it takes somewhere near an hour to get there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to close
to come near or nearer
as the procession nears, you'll be able to take a better picture of the graduates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of near
Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Buckley then fled on foot, but shot himself with a handgun after Malvern police confronted him less than a half-mile to the north near Sand and Mt. Willow roads, the release states.
—Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2025
Tim Vernimmen, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2025
However, several of those benefits could be eliminated in the near future.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
And the jersey has the DNA, literally and figuratively, of the near crippling anxiety felt by Maris in the face of a very vocal pushback against his quest, first in competing neck-and-neck with the beloved Mickey Mantle for the record and then in favor of Ruth.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Assaf Orion, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2025
Big picture For investors, Bristol Myers entered the year with a lot to prove, as the company navigates the loss of exclusivity for cancer drug Revlimid and nears the same fate for top-selling drugs such as bloodthiner Eliquis, and the aforementioned Opdivo in the coming years.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Preposition
Here’s what could happen next — Holly Ellyatt Global market action overnight
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed and U.S. stock futures were near flat overnight with sentiment dented by U.S. data showing private sector hiring has hit its lowest level in over two years.
—Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Buckley then fled on foot, but shot himself with a handgun after Malvern police confronted him less than a half-mile to the north near Sand and Mt. Willow roads, the release states.
—Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2025
Adjective
But recovery may take a long time, and humanity’s involvement makes predicting the near future especially difficult.
—Tim Vernimmen, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2025
However, several of those benefits could be eliminated in the near future.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 5 June 2025
Adverb
For years now, the author has been on a near single-minded social media crusade against transgender women, and more recently has begun lending the campaign her financial support too.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
And the jersey has the DNA, literally and figuratively, of the near crippling anxiety felt by Maris in the face of a very vocal pushback against his quest, first in competing neck-and-neck with the beloved Mickey Mantle for the record and then in favor of Ruth.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
On the other hand, dozens of Israeli hostages have been killed since the Israeli offensive began, some of them executed just as the IDF neared their locations.
—Assaf Orion, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2025
Big picture For investors, Bristol Myers entered the year with a lot to prove, as the company navigates the loss of exclusivity for cancer drug Revlimid and nears the same fate for top-selling drugs such as bloodthiner Eliquis, and the aforementioned Opdivo in the coming years.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for near
Recent Examples of Synonyms for near
Preposition
-
Best of The Bee: California changes rules around trans athletes after Trump’s threat to halt funding, via Lia Russell.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2025
-
Next year’s moonshot with four astronauts will fly around the moon but will not land.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The idea behind these planter/benches is easy enough to understand: create some opportunities for residents to find shade on hot days in a neighborhood considered to be a classic urban heat island due to its relative dearth of trees.—
Thomas E. Weber,
Time,
6 June 2025
-
However, strong competition from Japan’s Fujifilm, a relative upstart founded in 1934, put pressure on Kodak in the late 1990s pushing it to the brink of bankruptcy in 2011.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Its storied past offers a rare glimpse into evolutionary processes that allow living organisms to thrive for thousands of years.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
But Netanyahu said Tuesday that any new ceasefire deal reached -- for example to facilitate the release of more living hostages -- would be temporary.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2025
-
And Tanner Scott, a $72 million reigning All-Star closer, has blown several save opportunities.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
The latter star has landed a number of hits throughout the past few years by repurposing melodies and interpolating hooks from older, familiar smashes by other artists, reworking them into something exciting and new for a different audience.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
For a more familiar beverage option, Thai iced tea ($6.50) always hits its mark.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
30 May 2025
Adverb
-
De Jong dug his heels in and refused to leave or give up the money he was owed.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
For instance, how do your personal lives and families factor in?—
Lacey Rose,
HollywoodReporter,
5 June 2025
Adverb
-
Today, almost 4 in 10 residents are on one of the health insurance plans for low- and moderate-income people or those with disabilities.—
Noam Levey,
NPR,
28 May 2025
-
Even department stores now are almost becoming a relic of the past.—
Katherine Turman,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Adverb
-
Female Founders Collective has approximately 25,000 total members, including its exclusive dues-paying members.—
Emma Sandler,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
In 2024, advertisers spent approximately $16 billion on ads in TV shows, but sports were hot on entertainment’s heels with some $13.2 billion in spend, of which around $5 billion was earmarked for NFL games.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/near. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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