near
adverb
close; to a point or place not far away.
near
American
[neer]
/ nɪər /
adverb
nearer,
nearest
-
close; to a point or place not far away.
Come near so I won't have to shout.
- Antonyms:
- far
-
at, within, or to a short distance.
- Antonyms:
- far
-
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.
adjective
-
nearer,
comparative
-
nearest
superlative
-
being close by; not distant.
the near fields.
- Antonyms:
- far
-
being the lesser in distance.
the near side.
- Antonyms:
- far
-
short or direct.
the near road.
- Antonyms:
- far
-
close in time.
the near future.
- Antonyms:
- far
-
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.
- Antonyms:
- generous
-
(of two draft animals hitched together) being on the driver's left (as opposed tooff ).
The near horse is going lame.
- Antonyms:
- far
preposition
-
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.
verb (used with or without object)
-
nears,
present (3rd person singular)
-
neared,
past participle, past
-
nearing
present participle
idioms
near
1
British
/ nɪə /
preposition
adverb
-
at or to a place or time not far away; close by
-
not far from; near
-
short for nearly
I was damn near killed
adjective
-
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
verb
noun
near-
2
British
combining form
near
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
nearsimple
-
nearssimple
-
have nearedperfect
-
has nearedperfect
-
am nearingprogressive
-
are nearingprogressive
-
is nearingprogressive
-
have been nearingperfect progressive
-
has been nearingperfect progressive
Past
-
nearedsimple
-
had nearedperfect
-
was nearingprogressive
-
were nearingprogressive
-
had been nearingperfect progressive
Future
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The collision involved a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough in Teesside, at about 03:39 BST, Cleveland Police said.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
St. Louis lies near “Tornado Alley,” which refers to the region in the center of the U.S. where tornadoes occur the most.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
Bond yields moved back up near their highest levels in over a decade even as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seeks to contain borrowing costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
One person died after a tour bus caught fire on the 60 Freeway near Hacienda Heights on Friday morning, according to authorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
If it weren’t for the fact that the water was near boiling, he would have thrown it across the small kitchen.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
That’s a top concern for many near- and current retirees.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
In his note, Whelan said he expects Perseus could sell its Predictive stake in the near- to medium-term, possibly to use the funds for an acquisition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
The trade market, given the current state of their roster, could better suit both their near- and long-term goals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2025
Still, financial concerns are often a main stressor for near- and current retirees.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2025
In almost every case, each side believed itself to be superior—ethnocentrism seems to be a near- universal human quality—and from this belief was convinced that it could control the encounter to its advantage.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
But as the season draws nearer and a new era of Bruin football begins, all the enthusiasm does beg the question: What does a successful debut actually look like for Chesney at UCLA?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
We may also eventually receive light from some galaxies located even farther away, provided that the light began traveling toward us when the galaxies were nearer.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
While expectations for the House may evolve as the November election draws nearer, only 218 votes are needed for a legislative majority in the House.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
For investors considering buying the IPO, it is worth waiting for the stock to trade closer to fair value, which likely sits nearer $1 trillion than $2 trillion.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
The footsteps were coming nearer: I raised myself on my elbow the better to listen, trying to still the thudding in my eardrums which impeded my hearing.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
The prospect of oil discovery off the coast has already given a boost to the nearest town.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
AFP saw several residents of the small town of Mbay, in Nagekeo regency nearest the epicentre, camped out in makeshift tents they had erected using tarpaulins and poles.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
For the stocks listed in this table, that would mean buying the straddles expiring on Aug. 21, or the next nearest date if that expiration date doesn’t exist for a particular stock.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Separated only by a gated alley, the fenced-off facility is about 100 feet from the nearest home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Relieved, the baron sat in the nearest chair and tried to wipe his face with a handkerchief.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
As with individual tickets, hospitality packages are being gradually rolled out as 2028 nears.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Once a mosquito nears a trap, a small fan forces it into a baglike net, where it is held for pickup.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
Bertha is forecast to weaken back to a tropical depression on Thursday and may dissipate by the end of the week as it nears the Texas coast.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
As the business nears its first anniversary in September, Smith said revenue exceeds expenses, including his $2,000 monthly salary and the couple’s $1,250 health- and dental-insurance premiums.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Delly crosses the room tentatively, but as she nears him she naturally breaks into a smile.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
One asset benefiting from the market turmoil is bitcoin, which was recently up almost 6% and briefly neared $80,000 early this morning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
A smattering of hardy locals even stayed until the final anthem was sung as the clocked neared 11pm.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The Guardian reported last week that as the World Cup neared its successful conclusion, nearly 200 of FIFA’s 211 member associations are endorsing Infantino’s bid for reelection to a fourth term as president next March.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
As prices neared the $2.50-a-gallon level from Feb. 27, the day before the commencement of war in Iran, airlines added to gains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Soviet radar picked up the American planes the moment they neared the border.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
It had been nearing a close when it, too, became embroiled in controversy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Finally, the company said it was nearing a deal for two data centers, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
He is now nearing the end of his prison sentence and will be supervised for a further three years after his release.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Spectrum owner Charter Communications is nearing the finish line in its long-awaited $34.5-billion purchase of Cox Enterprises to form the nation’s largest internet and cable television company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
When light flickered off the waves again he knew they were nearing Regalia.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
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.
