NEARS Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

nears

verb

present tense third-person singular of near

as in closes

to come near or nearer as the procession nears, you'll be able to take a better picture of the graduates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in approaches

to move closer to as we near the church, you'll be able to see the bas-relief sculptures better

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nears Part of the challenge is diminishing returns on ads as Election Day nears. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 As a comet nears the sun, frozen material on its surface turns directly into gas, a process known as sublimation. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The two remained locked in a tight race as early voting nears with Talarico having a slight edge in most polls. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026 This was the first of many in-person sessions the organization plans to hold as Election Day nears. — Ashley Lopez, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 As the peak nears, price increases both accelerate and become more volatile as doubt begins to gnaw at the edges of the frenzy. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026 While most Black voters tend to support the Democratic Party, a considerable number remain unaligned, making their support crucial as Election Day nears. — Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 As the hurricane nears the shore, strong winds push that amassed water toward the coast. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 The Draconids are the result of Earth intersecting with a trail from the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, and occurs in October each year when the planet nears the comet’s orbit. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nears

Verb

One reason the early childhood brain development window closes without intervention is that our diagnostic tools were not built to look through the mother-child nexus.

— Holly Baines, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026
The sentence closes a criminal case that grew from an endangerment arrest into a sweeping prosecution tied to multiple deaths and reshaped how Texas regulates unlicensed care homes and the agents who steer older adults into them.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of closes

Verb

Sympathy comes later, unleashed in 18th-century thought through Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759).

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
The predominantly beige canvas comes spring loaded with pops of color, notably a sunset orange shade.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of comes

Browse Nearby Words

nearness

nears

nearshore

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Style

“Nears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nears. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of nears

verb

Example Sentences

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