near beer


noun
  1. any of several malt beverages that are similar to beer but are usually considered nonalcoholic because they have an alcoholic content of less than ½ percent.

Origin of near beer

1
An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Words Nearby near beer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use near beer in a sentence

  • But more gigantic still is the well at Bovey, another Tudor house, near beer, which bears the reputation of being haunted.

  • If he played me right he might even get that recipe for making near beer closer.

    Pieces of Hate | Heywood Broun
  • Only wonder of nature I ever saw in Schoenstrom was my friend Mac trying to think he was soused after a case of near-beer.

    Free Air | Sinclair Lewis