close; to a point or place not far away.
Come near so I won't have to shout.
at, within, or to a short distance.
close in time.
The New Year draws near.
close in relation; closely with respect to connection, similarity, intimacy, etc. (often used in combination).
a near-standing position.
all but; almost; nearly.
a period of near 30 years.
Nautical. close to the wind.
Archaic. in a thrifty or stingy manner.
being close by; not distant.
the near fields.
being the lesser in distance.
the near side.
short or direct.
the near road.
close in time.
the near future.
closely related or connected.
our nearest relatives.
close to an original.
a near translation.
closely affecting one's interests or feelings.
a matter of near consequence to one.
intimate or familiar.
a near friend.
narrow or close.
a near escape.
thrifty or stingy.
near with one's pocketbook.
(of two draft animals hitched together) being on the driver's left (as opposed tooff ).
The near horse is going lame.
at, to, or within a short distance, or no great distance, from or of.
regions near the equator.
close to in time.
near the beginning of the year.
close to a condition or state.
He is near death.
at or to a place or time not far away; close by
not far from; near
short for nearly
I was damn near killed
at or in a place not far away
(postpositive) not far away in time; imminent
departure time was near
(prenominal) only just successful or only just failing
a near escape
informal (postpositive) miserly, mean
(prenominal) closely connected or intimate
a near relation
First recorded before 900; Middle English nere, Old English nēar, comparative of nēah nigh
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.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While in office, Raman has voted dozens of times against establishing new no-camping zones near homeless shelters, senior centers, freeway overpasses and other locations.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
One area where economists agree: AI will increase productivity in the near term.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Among those hoping to catch a glimpse of the bird near the Anglesey Wall on Sunday was ornithologist and artist Richard Partis.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano is hoping to bring a taste of his homeland to the Artemis III mission he will pilot near Earth in 2027 to test two lunar modules.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Joey places her writing desk near the window.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
