Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

nearby

American  
[neer-bahy] / ˈnɪərˈbaɪ /

adjective

  1. close at hand; not far off; adjacent; neighboring.

    a nearby village.

adverb

  1. in the neighborhood or vicinity; close by.

    She works nearby.
nearby British  

adjective

  1. not far away; close at hand

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. close by

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nearby

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; near, by

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.

Many of the hundreds of workers hired and then laid off by Magna in St. Clair have had other job opportunities with nearby factories looking for workers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The fiction: You can always tell there’s a rattlesnake nearby because you’ll hear their rattle.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

He also pointed to the relative value compared to nearby coastal markets, noting similar waterfront properties elsewhere often come at a significantly higher price per square foot.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Kid Rock told local outlet WKRN-TV on Monday that it is not uncommon for helicopters from the nearby Fort Campbell Army base to fly near his home.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

He was lurking nearby, not even trying to hide the fact that he was watching me about to stuff my face.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

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.