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• near
  near

  adverb

  close; to a point or place not far away.
• near-
  near-

  combining form

  nearly; almost

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

The revised ordinance known as 41.18 restricts sleeping near schools, day-care centers or other sensitive locations designated by the City Council.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

The company did not specify which of its 14 brands would start producing its "E-Cars" at Stellantis's Pomigliano d'Arco factory near Naples in Italy.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Anecdotal evidence from inside the industry suggests you will have to pay near 6%.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

By 2011, landfast sea ice in the Larsen B embayment near Hektoria's terminus had expanded enough to provide temporary support, allowing the glacier to slowly advance once again.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

Ragginold continued, “Soon after that, she abandoned you near the human road. You stayed there for the rest of your short life, probably hoping she’d come back. But she never did.”

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

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