near

[ neer ]

adverb

, near·er, near·est.

1. close; to a point or place not far away:

   Come near so I won't have to shout.

   Antonyms: far

2. at, within, or to a short distance.

   Antonyms: far

3. close in time:

   The New Year draws near.

4. close in relation; closely with respect to connection, similarity, intimacy, etc. (often used in combination):

   a near-standing position.

5. all but; almost; nearly:

   a period of near 30 years.

6. Nautical. close to the wind.
7. Archaic. in a thrifty or stingy manner.

adjective

, near·er, near·est.

1. being close by; not distant:

   the near fields.

   Antonyms: far

2. being the lesser in distance:

   the near side.

   Antonyms: far

3. short or direct:

   the near road.

   Antonyms: far

4. close in time:

   the near future.

   Synonyms: impending, imminent

   Antonyms: far

5. closely related or connected:

   our nearest relatives.

6. close to an original:

   a near translation.

7. closely affecting one's interests or feelings:

   a matter of near consequence to one.

8. intimate or familiar:

   a near friend.

9. narrow or close:

   a near escape.

10. thrifty or stingy:

    near with one's pocketbook.

    Synonyms: miserly, tight

    Antonyms: generous

11. (of two draft animals hitched together) being on the driver's left (as opposed to off ):

    The near horse is going lame.

    Antonyms: far

preposition

1. at, to, or within a short distance, or no great distance, from or of:

   regions near the equator.

2. close to in time:

   near the beginning of the year.

3. close to a condition or state:

   He is near death.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to come or draw near; approach:

   The boat neared the dock. Storm clouds neared.

near-

¹

combining_form

1. nearly; almost

   a near-perfect landing

near

²

/ nɪə /

preposition

1. at or to a place or time not far away from; close to

adverb

1. at or to a place or time not far away; close by
2. near to
   not far from; near
3. short for nearly

   I was damn near killed

adjective

1. at or in a place not far away
2. postpositive not far away in time; imminent

   departure time was near

3. prenominal only just successful or only just failing

   a near escape

4. informal.
   postpositive miserly, mean
5. prenominal closely connected or intimate

   a near relation

verb

1. to come or draw close (to)

noun

1. Also callednearside
   1. the left side of a horse, team of animals, vehicle, etc
   2. ( as modifier )

      the near foreleg

Derived Forms

• ˈnearness, noun

Other Words From

• nearness noun
• over·near adjective adverb
• over·nearness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of near¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English nere, Old English nēar, comparative of nēah nigh

Word History and Origins

Origin of near¹

Old English nēar (adv), comparative of nēah close, nigh ; related to Old Frisian niār, Old Norse nǣr, Old High German nāhōr

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. near at hand,
   1. in the immediate vicinity:

      There is a shopping area near at hand.

   2. in the near future; soon:

      The departure is near at hand.

More idioms and phrases containing near

• far and near
• in the near future
• not anything like (anywhere near)

Example Sentences

A man was arrested in Beverly Hills on Thursday evening on suspicion of stealing a car and injuring four bystanders in a hit-and-run near a holiday tree-lighting event, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

The incident took place shortly after 7 p.m. near Wilshire Boulevard and Camden Drive, a block away from where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate the city’s annual Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department.

From Los Angeles Times

At least 10 people have been killed and others hurt in a fire that broke out at a retirement home near Zaragoza in north-eastern Spain, emergency services say.

From BBC

"We are still stuck with the problems we faced before. We still don't have financial help even to fulfil our daily needs," 26-year-old garment factory worker Manjula Devi, who works in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone near Colombo, told the BBC.

From BBC

A dead moray eel washed ashore near Laguna Niguel over the weekend, creeping out beachgoers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adjacent
• adjoining
• immediate
• nearby
• neighboring
• warm