Near East

American  

[neer eest] / ˈnɪər ˈist /

noun

1. an indefinite geographical or regional term, usually referring to the countries of southwestern Asia, including Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and the other nations of Arabia.

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Near East British  

noun

1. another term for the Middle East

2. (formerly) the Balkan States and the area of the Ottoman Empire

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Near East Cultural  

1. A region in western Asia and northeastern Africa, often considered the same as the Middle East.

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Other Word Forms

• Near Eastern adjective

Etymology

Origin of Near East

First recorded in 1855–60

Compare meaning

How does near-east compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Near East vs. Middle East

Example Sentences

“Battlefield damage assessment is an imprecise art, with initial estimates frequently being way off,” said Patrick Clawson, an expert on Iran and director for research at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

From Los Angeles Times

Matthew Levitt is a senior fellow and director of the program on counter-terrorism and intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

From Los Angeles Times

World Central Kitchen said that it was suspending operations in the territory, as did American Near East Refugee Aid, or Anera.

From New York Times

The poll, by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a generally pro-Israel research organization, surveyed 1,000 Saudis from Nov. 14 to Dec. 6.

From New York Times

Lifeway Research conducted the online survey in November for The Philos Project, a nonprofit promoting Christian engagement in the Near East.

From Washington Times