near

1 of 4

adverb

1
: at, within, or to a short distance or time
sunset was drawing near
2
: almost, nearly
was near dead
3
: in a close or intimate manner : closely
near related
4
archaic : in a frugal manner

near

2 of 4

preposition

: close to
beaches near the city
seemed to be near death

near

3 of 4

adjective

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
4
: direct, short
the nearest road
5
6
a
: closely resembling the standard or typical
a near desert
b
: approximating the genuine
near silk
nearness noun

near

4 of 4

verb

neared; nearing; nears

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
Adverb
Related Articles Schiff also became nationally known for leading two impeachment efforts against former President Donald Trump, who also won in his own California primary, coming near to clinching the GOP nomination for a rematch with President Biden. Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024 While planning for annual events such as Trooping is Colour continues at the palace, decisions about the King's involvement will likely be made nearer the time. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Nearer and nearer draws the time, The time that will surely be: When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God As the waters cover the sea. James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 There’s reasons for that, but Hunter hasn’t been a guy that has played near as close to the basket in many opportunities because there’s been bodies, strong bodies, that he’s got to get through to get close to the basket. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2024 The Parker Solar Probe draws so near to the star that researchers have occasionally worried about the spacecraft's health—but so far the probe has weathered whatever the sun has thrown its way. Rebecca Boyle, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024 Passengers’ willingness to pay for extra comfort, like premium seating nearer the front of the plane, or economy plus seating with more legroom, has lingered post-pandemic. Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 That last toggle supports near, far, or full-range autofocus, with 10 meters as the cutoff point. PCMAG, 1 Feb. 2024 Temperatures average near to above average through Thursday but may end the week on the cold side of average. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 29 Jan. 2024
Preposition
The professor gathered a research team to observe sick canines in Blythe, a town near Joshua Tree National Park in Riverside County, after the dogs had spent time playing in rivers in the area. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Ford grew up near Washington, D.C., among gated houses and country clubs and people who treated politics as their business and their birthright. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 Benetti’s Oasis Deck, an extended platform near the stern of the yacht, and its even newer Veranda Deck, which creates an open space where an interior salon would be, were two examples of how design is changing to meet the needs of a new customer. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 The crash was reported about 7:10 p.m. in the westbound lanes of the freeway near the Euclid Avenue exit, according to a California Highway Patrol incident log. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 Winds are from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts near 25 mph. Matt Rogers, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 Prosecutors were prepared to argue King, 19, of West Allis, was driving the vehicle the shots were fired from when Torres-Betancourt was killed near South 29th Street and West Greenfield Avenue on Dec. 24, 2022. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2024 The Pakistani action came two days after militants attacked a military post in northwestern Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan. Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024 Certain destinations near or in the heart of Norwood may be more difficult to reach because of the closure. The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The pandemic caused airlines globally to essentially stop taking deliveries of new jets due to massive losses caused by a near halt in air travel. Chris Isidore, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 In Ukraine, for example, the war has meant remote monitoring of the country’s nuclear power plants has been near to impossible. Andrew Kersley, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024 Almost immediately, there’s an explosion at the local power plant and Washington is the nearest expert. John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 At the moment there’s not much on the 40-minute walk from the nearest train stop to the stadium. Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Confidence: Medium Tonight: Clouds thicken even more into the night, with a sprinkle or shower possible during the pre-dawn hours, especially nearer sunrise. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 The debate has been bubbling for months, as countries nearest to Russia – such as Poland and the former Soviet Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – have tried to nudge other European leaders toward the more assertive Option 2. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024 A bit reminiscent of A Quiet Place, Arcadian takes place in a near future where normal life on Earth has been decimated. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Read on for more info about the new spring menu at Starbucks, and stop by your nearest Starbucks today for a little floral pick-me-up to get you through these last official weeks of winter. Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
See the Washington, D.C. cherry blossom trees as peak season nears. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 But as her due date nears, the professional hairstylist and travel agent only grows more and more excited about raising two daughters. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024 Instead, he and Dolan are locked in a tight battle as the race nears its end − with many Republicans still unsure who to support. Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 16 Mar. 2024 First California plan nears approval Jan. 14, 2024 The researchers highlighted how California could eliminate emissions by finding ways to decarbonize the the state’s cement factories. Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 The company was seeking a similar waiver for the Max 7, which was nearing final FAA certification prior to a door panel blowing out of an Alaska Airlines flight midair in January. Alex Sundby, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2024 As the 2024 presidential election nears, several third-party candidates have emerged to challenge President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, but what will be their impa... Will McDuffie, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024 As the release date neared, lawmakers, colleges and other stakeholders say the Education Department kept them in the dark. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 Though the cocktail hour was scheduled to conclude at 8 PM, as the time neared and guests conversed about their subsequent plans, there was a noticeable reluctance to depart. Rachel Besser, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb, Preposition, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English ner, partly from ner nearer, from Old English nēar, comparative of nēah nigh; partly from Old Norse nær nearer, comparative of nā- nigh — more at nigh

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1522, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of near was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near near

Cite this Entry

“Near.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/near. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

near

1 of 4 adverb
1
: 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 adjective
ˈni(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 verb
ˈni(ə)r
: to come near : approach
the ship was nearing the dock
Etymology

Adverb

Old English nēar "nearer," comparative form of nēah "near, close" — related to neighbor, nigh see Word History at neighbor

More from Merriam-Webster on near

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