near

American  

[neer] / nɪər /

adverb

nearer, nearest

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.

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adjective

nearer, nearest

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 tooff ).

    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.

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.

near ¹ British  

/ nɪə /

preposition

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

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adverb

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

2. 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 called: nearside. 

   1. the left side of a horse, team of animals, vehicle, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      the near foreleg

near- ² British  

combining form

1. nearly; almost

   a near-perfect landing

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near More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing near

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

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Other Word Forms

• nearness noun
• overnear adjective
• overnearness noun

Etymology

Origin of near

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

Explanation

Things that are near are close by or recent. From far away, a hawk might look like a speck in the sky, but when it comes near, you can see how enormous and beautiful it is. When you stand near the food at a party, you're very close to it. When the time for your dentist appointment draws near, it's happening soon. If you find yourself near tears watching a sad movie, you're just about to cry. And, if your backpack is a near match to your friend's, you probably accidentally grab each other's bags all the time, since they resemble each other so closely.

Example Sentences

That prompted some companies to lock in oil prices near $60 per barrel.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

LA28 said roughly half of the total 1 million $28 tickets were sold during the locals presale, which was limited to people living near venue cities in Southern California and Oklahoma City.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

The family moved to Denver and then back to a town near Seattle in 2022, and Davy took a job as an emergency nurse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Bug hotels designed to look like local landmarks have appeared near a Leeds train station.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

Its ribs were still heaving, but death was near.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Related Words

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