net
1 of 5noun (1)
ˈnet 
1
a
: an open-meshed fabric twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals
b
: something made of net: such as
(1)
: a device for catching fish, birds, or insects
(2)
: a fabric barricade (see barricade entry 2 sense 1a) which divides a court in half (as in tennis or volleyball) and over which a ball or shuttlecock must be hit to be in play
(3)
: the fabric that encloses the sides and back of the goal (see goal sense 2a) in various games (such as soccer or hockey)
shot the puck into the net
2
: an entrapping device or situation
caught in the net of suspicious circumstances
cannot escape the net of circumstances in which he is caught
W. P. Webb
W. P. Webb3
: something resembling a net in reticulation (as of lines, fibers, or figures)
the net of global communication
… the systemic net of restrictions … John Edgar Wideman
John Edgar Wideman4
a
: a group of communications stations operating under unified control
Army radio net
b
: network sense 4
5
or less commonly Net : internet
world news on the Net
netless
ˈnet-ləs
adjective netlike
ˈnet-ˌlīk
adjective netty
ˈne-tē
adjective net
2 of 5verb (1)
netted; netting
transitive verb
1
: to cover or enclose with or as if with a net
2
: to catch in or as if in a net
3
: to cover with or as if with a network
4
a
: to hit (a ball) into the net for the loss of a point in a racket game
b
: to hit (a ball or puck) into the goal for a score (as in hockey or soccer)
also : to score (a point or goal) by netting a ball or puck
netter noun
net
3 of 5adjective
1
: free from all charges or deductions: such as
a
: remaining after the deduction of all charges, outlay, or loss
net earnings
net worth
compare gross b
: excluding all tare
net weight
2
: excluding all nonessential considerations : basic, final
the net result
net effect
net
4 of 5verb (2)
netted; netting
transitive verb
1
a
: to receive by way of profit : clear
b
: to produce by way of profit : yield
2
: to get possession of : gain
net
5 of 5noun (2)
1
: a net amount, profit, weight, or price
2
: the score of a golfer in a handicap match after deducting his or her handicap from the gross score
3
: essence, gist
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- mesh
- netting
- network
Verb (1)
- catch up
- enmesh
- immesh
- ensnare
- ensnarl
- entangle
- entoil
- entrap
- mesh
- snare
- tangle
- trap
Verb (2)
- clear
Noun (2)
- earnings
- gain
- lucre
- payoff
- proceeds
- profit
- return
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective The net result of the new bridge will be fewer traffic jams.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1) and Verb (1)
Middle English nett, from Old English; akin to Old High German nezzi net
Adjective
Middle English, clean, pure, from Anglo-French — more at neat entry 1
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1758, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
circa 1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing net
Kids Definition
net 1 of 4
noun
ˈnet
1
: a device made of strands that weave in and out with open spaces between and used to hold or catch something
2
: a fabric made of strands of thread, cord, rope, or wire that weave in and out with much open space
a net for catching fish
3
: the object placed between players in some games (as tennis)
4
: the area that serves as the goal in some games (as soccer and hockey)
5
often capitalized : internet
6
: network sense 1
a net of passageways
7
: something that traps and is difficult to escape from
They were caught in a net of lies.
net
2 of 4verb
netted; netting
1
: to cover with or as if with a net
2
: to catch in or as if in a net
net
3 of 4adjective
: remaining after all charges or expenses have been subtracted
We made a net profit of eight dollars.
net
4 of 4verb
netted; netting
: to gain or produce as profit : clear
Each sale nets ten cents.
Medical Definition
net
noun
ˈnet
: network
in the portal system, blood passes through two capillary nets E. B. Steen & Ashley Montagu
E. B. Steen & Ashley Montagu Legal Definition
net
adjective
: remaining after deduction of all charges, outlay, or loss
the net proceeds
compare gross nets 1 of 4
noun (1)
1
as in nettings
a fabric made of strands loosely twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals the basketball didn't go into the basket—it just hit the net Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- nettings
- meshes
- screens
- webbings
- laces
- networks
- grills
- webs
- grilles
- tulles
- screenings
- lattices
- fishnets
- wireworks
- bobbinets
- marquisettes
- filigrees
- Brussels laces
2
as in traps
a device or scheme for capturing another by surprise drug runners caught in an elaborate net set by the police Synonyms & Similar Words
- traps
- ambushes
- snares
- webs
- ruses
- entanglements
- snags
- deceptions
- entrapments
- tricks
- catches
- hazards
- envelopments
- land mines
- booby traps
- enmeshments
- subterfuges
- artifices
- pitfalls
- duplicities
- cheats
- double-dealings
- ploys
3
as in tangles
something that catches and holds caught in a net of palace intrigues Synonyms & Similar Words
- traps
- tangles
- snares
- meshes
- webs
- entanglements
- toils
- labyrinths
- nooses
- mazes
- morasses
- quicksands
- tanglements
- quagmires
- snarls
- spiderwebs
- knots
- cobwebs
- cat's cradles
nets
2 of 4noun (2)
1
as in earnings
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received his net for the year was about 60% of his total income Synonyms & Similar Words
- earnings
- profits
- proceeds
- gains
- payoffs
- returns
- incomes
- salaries
- revenues
- wages
- yields
- windfalls
- sales
- payments
- lucre
- cleanups
- compensations
- pays
- bottom lines
- killings
- grosses
- interests
- remittals
- emoluments
- requitals
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- costs
- losses
- expenses
- expenditures
- charges
- outlays
- disbursements
- outgoes
2
as in hearts
the central part or aspect of something under consideration the net of the report on race relations is that things are better but not good enough Synonyms & Similar Words
- hearts
- cores
- roots
- kernels
- essences
- points
- sums
- meats
- pivots
- nuclei
- bottom lines
- centerpieces
- bullseyes
- nubs
- piths
- nubbins
- nucleuses
- gists
- bull's-eyes
- themes
- meat and potatoes
- drifts
- subjects
- cruces
- contents
- substances
- bodies
- cruxes
- directions
- tenors
- keynotes
- courses
- theses
- hypotheses
- propositions
- purports
nets
3 of 4verb (1)
1
as in meshes
to catch or hold as if in a net the kite was stubbornly netted in the branches of the willow tree Synonyms & Similar Words
- traps
- tangles
- meshes
- snares
- enmeshes
- ensnares
- entraps
- immeshes
- entangles
- involves
- captures
- ensnarls
- collars
- entoils
- bags
- catches up
- implicates
- birdlimes
- embroils
- mires
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disentangles
- detaches
- frees
- untangles
- disengages
- clears
- extricates
- liberates
2
as in grabs
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly a police sting that netted drug dealers from all parts of the city Synonyms & Similar Words
- grabs
- catches
- traps
- lands
- snares
- snatches
- hooks
- snags
- seizes
- bags
- captures
- gets
- collars
- raps
- grapples
- ropes
- corrals
- nabs
- nails
- cops
- gloves
- nobbles
- clutches
- lassos
- gloms
- arrests
- bays
- corners
- meshes
- halters
- grasps
- grips
- clasps
- holds
- takes hold (of)
- snaps (up)
- secures
- fists
- enmeshes
- apprehends
- ensnares
- detains
- entraps
- entangles
- kidnaps
- rends
- abducts
- immeshes
- latches (on or onto)
- wrests
- fastens (on)
- spirits (away or off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- misses
- frees
- drops
- discharges
- releases
- liberates
- loosens
- unhands
nets
4 of 4verb (2)
as in earns
to receive after charges and deductions have been made the entrepreneur netted millions on that deal Synonyms & Similar Words
- earns
- gains
- gets
- garners
- clears
- makes
- realizes
- cashes in (on)
- cleans up
- rakes (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- grosses