net

¹ American  

[net] / nɛt /

noun

1. a bag or other contrivance of strong thread or cord worked into an open, meshed fabric, for catching fish, birds, or other animals.

   a butterfly net.

2. a piece of meshed fabric designed to serve a specific purpose, as to divide a court in racket games or protect against insects.

   a tennis net; a mosquito net.

3. anything serving to catch or ensnare.

   a police net to trap the bank robber.

4. a lacelike fabric with a uniform mesh of cotton, silk, rayon, nylon, etc., often forming the foundation of any of various laces.

5. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) a ball that hits the net.

6. Often nets. the goal in hockey or lacrosse.

7. any network or reticulated system of filaments, lines, veins, or the like.

8. Telecommunications. any network containing computers and telecommunications equipment.

9. Digital Technology. Sometimes Net internet (preceded by the, except when used before a noun).

   An overwhelming majority of Americans now have access to the net at home or at work.

10. Mathematics. the abstraction, in topology, of a sequence; a map from a directed set to a given space.

11. Astronomy. Net, the constellation Reticulum.

12. Informal. a radio or television network.

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verb (used with object)

netted, netting

1. to cover, screen, or enclose with a net or netting.

   netting the bed to keep out mosquitoes.

2. to take with a net.

   to net fish.

3. to set or use nets in (a river, stream, etc.), as for catching fish.

   Synonyms:

   trap, capture, seize

4. to catch or ensnare.

   to net a dangerous criminal.

5. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) to hit (the ball) into the net.

net ² American  

[net] / nɛt /

adjective

1. remaining after deductions, as for charges or expenses (gross ).

   net earnings.

2. sold at a stated price with all parts and charges included and with all deductions having been made.

3. final; totally conclusive.

   After all that work, what was the net result?

4. (of weight) after deduction of tare, tret, or both.

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noun

1. net income, profit, or the like.

verb (used with object)

netted, netting

1. to gain or produce as clear profit.

NET ³ American  

1. National Educational Television.

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net ¹ British  

/ nɛt /

noun

1. an openwork fabric of string, rope, wire, etc; mesh

2. a device made of net, used to protect or enclose things or to trap animals

3. 1. a thin light mesh fabric of cotton, nylon, or other fibre, used for curtains, dresses, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      net curtains

4. a plan, strategy, etc, intended to trap or ensnare

   the murderer slipped through the police net

5. sport

   1. a strip of net that divides the playing area into two equal parts

   2. a shot that hits the net, whether or not it goes over

6. the goal in soccer, hockey, etc

7. (often plural) cricket

   1. a pitch surrounded by netting, used for practice

   2. a practice session in a net

8. informal short for internet

9. another word for network

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verb

1. (tr) to catch with or as if with a net; ensnare

2. (tr) to shelter or surround with a net

3. (intr) sport to score a goal

   Rangers netted three times in seven minutes

4. to make a net out of (rope, string, etc)

5. (intr) to hit a shot into the net

net ² British  

/ nɛt /

adjective

1. remaining after all deductions, as for taxes, expenses, losses, etc Compare gross

   net profit

2. (of weight) after deducting tare

3. ultimate; final; conclusive (esp in the phrase net result )

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noun

1. net income, profits, weight, etc

verb

1. (tr) to yield or earn as clear profit

net ³ British  

abbreviation

1. a company or organization

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net Cultural  

1. What remains after all deductions have been made. (Compare gross.)

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Usage

What’s the difference between net and gross? In the context of finance and accounting, net refers to the final amount that remains after deductions have been made, while gross refers to the total amount before any deductions.Of course, net and gross are common words with many other meanings, but these senses of net and gross are used in the context of measuring something (especially money) that has been accumulated—profit, income, earnings, gains, etc.The amount described or referred to as gross is everything that has been taken in, not accounting for things like debts, deductions, and expenses. The amount described or referred to as net is how much you have left after you’ve subtracted anything that doesn’t count toward profit, like debts and expenses.In other words, net is basically gross minus whatever you owe or have spent. For this reason, net is always lower than gross.For example, let’s say you decide to sell cupcakes at a bake sale. You spend $15 on ingredients, and you have to rent a table for $5, which equals $20 in expenses. Good news, you make $50 in cupcake sales. Your gross is $50. Minus the $20 in expenses, your net is $30. You could say you grossed $50 and netted $30.To remember the difference, remember that a net sifts whatever goes into it so that only some remains.Here’s an example of net and gross used correctly in the same sentence.Example: For this quarter, gross income was $2 million, but $1.25 million in expenses and outstanding debts resulted in a net of only $750,000.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between net and gross.

Other Word Forms

• netlike adjective
• nettable adjective

Etymology

Origin of net¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English,  Old English noun net(t); cognate with Dutch, Old Norse net, Gothic nati, German Netz; akin to Latin nōdus “knot”; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of net¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English net, nette “worthy, good, after deductions”; neat ¹

Example Sentences

But outsize returns are unlikely to continue, and such investments have recently been selling for less than their net asset value.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sales in fiscal 2025, which ended in May, were 83% higher than a year ago, while net income more than quadrupled.

From Barron's

So the Tweedy, Browne team is focused on net buybacks — those that actually lower the share count.

From MarketWatch

But in the real U.S. healthcare system, it looks much more like a high-risk social experiment with no safety net.

From MarketWatch

Microchip estimated net sales for its fiscal third quarter were around $1.19 billion, roughly 4% higher than in the second quarter.

From Barron's

Related Words

• accumulate
• bring in
• earn
• reap