near
near — verb
1. to move closer to a particular place, moment, or condition, with the sense that
to move closer to a particular place, moment, or condition, with the sense that arrival or completion is about to happen
The rescue team neared the village as the sun began to set.
transitive: near + noun phrase (destination)
As graduation neared, Rin felt both excited and nervous.
intransitive: [time event] nears
Heloísa's research project is nearing completion after three years of work.
progressive: is nearing + noun (state)
The storm was nearing, so Obi closed all the windows and brought in the chairs.
Christopher is nearing his sixtieth birthday and plans a big celebration.
transitive: near + noun (age or milestone)
- near completion
- near the end
- near retirement
- near the finish line
- near exhaustion
- approach
most direct synonym; slightly more formal in tone
- draw close to
more descriptive and literary; often used with time events
- close in on
suggests surrounding or pursuing something
Grammar Patterns
near + noun phrase (transitive)
near (intransitive: [event/time] nears)
Usage Note
Often used in progressive tenses (is nearing, were nearing). More common in written English than in casual conversation, where 'get close to' or 'approach' are frequently used instead.
Common Mistakes
near — adjective
1. describing something that is a short distance away from a place, or that is extr
describing something that is a short distance away from a place, or that is extremely close to a particular state or quality — for example, the nearest house to yours, or a near disaster that almost happened.
Nadia checked the map to find the nearest petrol station.
superlative: the nearest + place noun
The goalkeeper's save was a near miss — the ball flew past the post by centimetres.
collocation: near miss
Asher took the nearer seat so he could see the board more clearly.
comparative: nearer
After the storm, the village was left in near-total silence for hours.
attributive: near + adjective for degree
The nearest supermarket is about two blocks from Lauren's apartment.
- near miss
- near disaster
- near certainty
- near silence
- near darkness
- nearest shop
- nearest hospital
- nearest exit
Grammar Patterns
near + noun (attributive)
the nearest + noun (superlative)
near + adjective (for degree)
Usage Note
Superlative nearest is much more common than base near when referring to physical distance. As an attributive adjective, near often combines with abstract nouns that describe events or states (miss, disaster, silence, certainty).
Common Mistakes
2. used of family members who share a direct blood connection, such as parents, chi
used of family members who share a direct blood connection, such as parents, children, or siblings, rather than distant cousins or relatives by marriage.
Hassan invited only his near relatives to the wedding ceremony.
attributive: near relatives
The hospital asked Devika to list her near relatives for the emergency contact form.
Estate tax rules are often different for near relatives than for distant cousins.
contrast: near relatives vs distant cousins
Paul's near relatives include his parents, his older sister, and his two younger brothers.
listing near relatives
- near relative
- near relation
- near kin
- distant
used for relatives who are not closely related by blood
Grammar Patterns
near + relative / relation / family member noun
Usage Note
Only used attributively before nouns — you cannot say 'My aunt is near' to mean she is a close relative. The phrase near relative is fixed; near kin or near family member also occur but are less common.
Common Mistakes
3. happening or expected in a very short period of time from the present moment, es
happening or expected in a very short period of time from the present moment, especially in the coming days, weeks, or months.
The company plans to open a new office in the near future.
collocation: in the near future
Vinícius hopes to visit his family in Brazil in the near future.
No major changes to the school timetable are expected in the near future.
negative construction with near future
The manager said the near-term outlook for sales looked very promising.
compound attributive: near-term
Aylin decided to keep her current job for the near future and delay the move.
- the near future
- in the near future
- near term
- near-term outlook
- near-term plan
- imminent
more formal; suggests something is about to happen very soon, often urgently
- upcoming
neutral, common; can replace near but not in the fixed phrase 'the near future'
- forthcoming
slightly formal; focuses on something expected to happen
Grammar Patterns
the near future
near term
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the fixed phrases the near future and near term (often hyphenated as near-term before a noun). Unlike sense 1, this sense cannot be used in comparative or superlative forms — you cannot say 'nearer future' or 'nearest future'.
Common Mistakes
near — adverb
1. at or to a place that is only a short distance away from someone or something; n
at or to a place that is only a short distance away from someone or something; not far from where the speaker is.
Sana lives quite near, so she can walk to our house in about ten minutes.
quite near for describing short distance
Obi could hear voices near and looked out the window to see who was there.
The nearest bus stop is very near — just around the corner from the shop.
superlative 'nearest' with adverb 'near'
Rin pulled her chair nearer to the desk so she could reach the keyboard.
comparative 'nearer' + preposition 'to'
When Christopher called, his cat came running near and rubbed against his leg.
- very near
- quite near
- near enough
- draw near
- come near
Grammar Patterns
be + near
come / get / draw + near
near + enough
Usage Note
Commonly combined with verbs of position or motion such as 'be', 'live', 'come', 'draw', 'stand', or 'move'.
Common Mistakes
2. at or to a point in time that is not far away; close enough that something will
at or to a point in time that is not far away; close enough that something will happen soon.
As the final exams drew near, Bao spent every evening reviewing his notes.
draw + near for approaching events or deadlines
Layla felt her heart race as her wedding day grew near.
The deadline for the project is getting near, so the team is working overtime.
get + near for time approaching
When spring came near, the trees in the garden began to bloom again.
Aarav knew the bus was near when he heard the engine rumble down the street.
- draw near
- get near
- grow near
- be near
- far off
indicates a distant future time
Grammar Patterns
draw / get / grow + near
be + near
Usage Note
Commonly paired with the verbs 'draw', 'get', and 'grow' to express that a point in time is approaching. Less commonly used with 'be' ('the time is near').
Common Mistakes
3. indicating that someone or something almost reaches a specified situation or qua
indicating that someone or something almost reaches a specified situation or quality but falls just short of it — used before adjectives, and before 'to' + a verb to show that something nearly happened.
After climbing the mountain for six hours, Lara was near dead with tiredness.
near + adjective describing an extreme state
The glass fell near to breaking but landed safely on the soft carpet.
near to + verb-ing for nearly happening events
Amani's dance performance was near perfect and earned her a standing ovation.
The old cottage was near collapse after the storm damaged its roof.
The rescue team came near to giving up when they heard a voice from the rubble.
near to + giving up for a close decision point
- near perfect
- near impossible
- near dead
- near collapse
- near to + -ing
Grammar Patterns
near + adjective
near + past participle
near to + verb-ing
Usage Note
When followed by an adjective, the adjective typically describes an extreme condition (dead, perfect, impossible, complete). When followed by 'to' + a gerund, it describes an action that was very close to happening.
Common Mistakes
4. used with 'nowhere' or 'not anywhere' to stress that something falls very far sh
used with 'nowhere' or 'not anywhere' to stress that something falls very far short of some measure — whether of space, duration, amount, or character — often before a comparative or a descriptive adjective.
Henry's first attempt at baking was nowhere near as good as his grandmother's.
nowhere near + as + adjective + as for comparison
The hotel we booked was not anywhere near the beautiful photos on the website.
Zola's score on the test was nowhere near high enough to pass the class.
nowhere near + adjective + enough + infinitive
The museum renovation is nowhere near finished — workers still need three more months.
Dylan's explanation was nowhere near clear enough for the new students to follow.
- nowhere near as
- nowhere near enough
- nowhere near finished
- nowhere near ready
- far from
less emphatic than 'nowhere near'; works in neutral and negative contexts
- not nearly
similar meaning but less dramatic; 'not nearly enough' vs 'nowhere near enough'
- close to
the affirmative counterpart
Grammar Patterns
nowhere near + comparative/adjective/noun
not anywhere near + comparative/adjective/noun
Usage Note
Almost always appears in negative constructions. 'Nowhere near' is more common than 'not anywhere near'. The phrase cannot be used in affirmative sentences ('somewhere near' has a different meaning).
Common Mistakes
5. almost reaching a particular number, amount, or measurement — used before figure
almost reaching a particular number, amount, or measurement — used before figures, quantities, and measures to show the actual value is slightly less.
The stadium can hold near 50,000 fans on a busy match day.
near + specific number to indicate approximate quantity
Rafael had been waiting near an hour before the doctor finally called his name.
The temperature outside reached near 38 degrees by early afternoon.
Ari spent near three years travelling through Southeast Asia after university.
near + duration phrase for approximate time span
The repair work cost near $2,000, which was more than the family had expected.
- near + number
- near + amount
- near + time duration
- well over
indicates a quantity clearly above the stated number
Grammar Patterns
near + number
near + quantity noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense is typical of informal written and spoken English. In formal writing, 'nearly' or 'almost' is preferred. The adverb directly precedes the number or quantity word — no preposition is needed.
Common Mistakes
near — prefix
1. attached before another word with a hyphen to create a compound that means somet
attached before another word with a hyphen to create a compound that means something is almost but not completely in that state — for example, a near-perfect score is almost perfect, and a near-collapse situation is one that has almost fallen apart.
The orchestra gave a near-perfect performance and the audience cheered for minutes.
near-perfect + noun (performance / result / score)
Many survivors of the earthquake described their near-death experiences in interviews.
near-death + noun (experience / moment)
The typhoon caused near-total destruction of the small fishing village.
Climbing the mountain in winter seemed near-impossible without the right gear.
near-impossible — adjective formed with near- prefix
By the time help arrived, the old bridge was already in a state of near-collapse.
- near-perfect
- near-death
- near-total
- near-impossible
- near-collapse
- near-disaster
- near-constant
Grammar Patterns
near- + [adjective]
near- + [noun]
Usage Note
Always written with a hyphen before the adjective or noun it attaches to. Not used as a standalone word in this sense.
Common Mistakes
near — preposition
1. with very little space between a person, place, or thing and another — for examp
with very little space between a person, place, or thing and another — for example, living near the school, or standing near the window.
The old library is near the train station on Main Street.
near + building/place name
Sade lives near a small park where children play every afternoon.
We found a nice café near the river with outdoor tables.
The bus stop near our school is always crowded at three o'clock.
near + noun phrase as adverbial
Otis parked his car near the entrance so his grandmother could walk less.
- near the door
- near the entrance
- near the station
- near the coast
- far from
indicates a large distance between two things
Grammar Patterns
near + noun phrase (place/location)
2. a short period before a specific time, event, or deadline — for example, near mi
a short period before a specific time, event, or deadline — for example, near midnight meaning a few minutes before midnight.
The shops close near nine o'clock in this small town.
near + clock time
Karim always feels nervous near exam week at university.
The garden looks beautiful near sunset when the light turns golden.
Near the end of the film, everyone in the cinema was crying.
near + event noun (the end, the deadline)
Ryo buys his train ticket near the holiday season to avoid crowds.
- near midnight
- near Christmas
- near the end
- near the deadline
- near closing time
- close to
interchangeable for temporal proximity: 'close to midnight'
- just before
more precise, implies a very short gap
- well after
long past a given time
Grammar Patterns
near + time noun (midnight, Christmas, the end)
Usage Note
Unlike adverb sense 2 ('The exam is near'), this preposition sense always takes a noun object — you say 'near the exam' not 'near exam' as a standalone comment. Distinguish from prep/1: 'near the station' is about distance (sense 1), 'near the hour of closing' is about time (sense 2).
Common Mistakes
3. placed before a quantity or figure to show that the actual amount is close but n
placed before a quantity or figure to show that the actual amount is close but not exact — for example, near fifty dollars means approximately fifty dollars.
The renovation cost near fifty thousand dollars in total.
near + cost/price
Gabriel has lived in Japan for near thirty years now.
Near two hundred people attended the community meeting last night.
near + quantity (people, items)
The temperature reached near forty degrees yesterday afternoon.
- near fifty
- near a hundred
- near ten thousand
- near forty degrees
- approximately
more formal; always interchangeable
- roughly
similar register to 'near'; implies a wider range
- about
the most common and neutral alternative
- exactly
precisely that amount, not approximately
Grammar Patterns
near + number (age, cost, quantity, temperature)
Usage Note
Slightly less formal than 'approximately' or 'roughly'. Common in spoken English and informal writing. Do not confuse with preposition sense 7 ('near the truth' — meaning close in accuracy).
4. resembling someone or something in degree, standard, or characteristic — for exa
resembling someone or something in degree, standard, or characteristic — for example, a fabric that feels near silk, or a score near the world record.
This fabric feels near silk but it is actually a synthetic material.
Élise's cooking skills are near those of a professional chef now.
near + pronoun (those) + of-phrase
The copy's colours are near the original painting but slightly duller.
No other runner in the race came near her speed on the final lap.
come near + noun — idiom pattern
- near perfection
- near the original
- near the record
- near those of
- close to
interchangeable: 'close to the original'
- comparable to
slightly more formal; often used in comparisons
- akin to
more literary; emphasises inherent similarity
- unlike
not similar at all
Grammar Patterns
near + noun phrase (standard of comparison)
Usage Note
Often used negatively to show that nothing else reaches the same level: 'nothing comes near it.' The phrase 'come near' or 'get near' is a common collocation in this sense.
5. close to reaching a particular condition or state, often a negative or extreme o
close to reaching a particular condition or state, often a negative or extreme one — for example, near tears meaning almost crying, or near collapse meaning about to fall down.
The old building was near collapse after the earthquake shook the town.
near + noun of state (collapse, death, tears)
Hao was near tears when he heard the sad news about his dog.
The company came near bankruptcy during the economic crisis last year.
The kitten was near death when the rescue team found it in the rain.
- near death
- near collapse
- near tears
- near bankruptcy
- near completion
- on the verge of
more dramatic; implies the boundary is about to be crossed
- close to
neutral alternative with the same collocation pattern
- far from
nowhere near that state
Grammar Patterns
near + noun (death, collapse, tears, bankruptcy, completion)
Usage Note
Common with negative or dramatic states (death, collapse, ruin, tears, panic). The object is always a noun that names a condition, not an adjective — use 'near death' not 'near dead'. The expression 'near to + noun' is an alternative, less common variant ('near to tears').
Common Mistakes
6. close enough to a person to be easily reached, used, or seen — for example, keep
close enough to a person to be easily reached, used, or seen — for example, keeping a glass of water near your bed, or having your keys near the front door.
Keep your phone near you in case of an emergency at work.
near + personal pronoun (you, me, them)
The hotel has a convenience store near the front desk for guests.
Christopher always keeps a glass of water near his bed at night.
Defne placed her dictionary near her laptop while writing her essay.
near + pronoun — placing something within reach
- near you
- near me
- near the bed
- near the phone
- keep near
- close by
adverbial, but similar meaning of accessible proximity
- within reach
stronger emphasis on ability to grab something
- at hand
slightly formal; means readily available
- out of reach
too far away to take or use
- far away
distant and not accessible
Grammar Patterns
near + pronoun (you, me, them)
keep/have + object + near + pronoun
Usage Note
Differs from sense 1 (CLOSE IN DISTANCE) in that sense 6 focuses on convenience and availability to a person ('near you'), whereas sense 1 describes spatial distance between two landmarks. Compare: 'a shop near the station' (sense 1) versus 'keep the receipt near you' (sense 6).
7. used to describe a guess, estimate, or statement that is fairly close to being c
used to describe a guess, estimate, or statement that is fairly close to being correct, though not exact
Dahlia's guess at the number of jellybeans was surprisingly near the actual count.
near + noun phrase for accurate estimate
Kwame's estimate of the repair costs was nowhere near the final bill.
nowhere near + noun phrase for far from accurate
Sivan's answer on the quiz was near enough to the correct one to earn half a point.
near enough + to-phrase for close approximation
The defence lawyer's version was not even near what the witnesses had described in court.
not even near + what-clause for emphasis on inaccuracy
Haruto's calculation was near the mark, so the exam board gave him partial credit.
near the mark for close-to-correct result
- nowhere near
- not even near
- near enough
- near the mark
- near the truth
- close to the mark
more informal and specific to correctness
- approximately right
less precise, more common in everyday speech
- not far off
colloquial and often used in British English
- far from
direct opposite in accuracy contexts
- wide of the mark
idiomatic; strongly inaccurate
Grammar Patterns
near + noun phrase
not even near + noun phrase
nowhere near + noun phrase
Usage Note
Commonly used in negative structures (not even near, nowhere near) to stress that something is far from accurate. In positive statements it is often paired with phrases like 'near enough' or 'near the mark'.
Common Mistakes
8. very important or personally interesting to someone, often appearing in the phra
very important or personally interesting to someone, often appearing in the phrase 'near to someone's heart'
Layla's work with refugee children is a cause very near to her heart.
near to [someone]'s heart for emotional importance
Nothing is more near to Imran than the safety of his younger sisters.
near to + noun for personal priority
The old library building was a place very near to the neighbourhood's heart.
near to [group]'s heart for shared emotional attachment
Lien found that environmental law was the field most near to her interests.
near to + interests for personal alignment
After years of coaching, the team's success became a matter very near to Roya.
near to + person (elliptical) for deep personal concern
- near to someone's heart
- near to someone's interests
- matter near to
- cause near to
- something near to
- dear to
warmer and implies affection rather than general importance
- important to
more neutral and less personal in tone
- meaningful to
suggests deeper emotional significance
- unimportant to
direct opposite in terms of significance
- indifferent to
describes lack of interest or concern
Grammar Patterns
near to + noun phrase
near to + someone's heart
Usage Note
Most common in the fixed phrase 'near to someone's heart' or 'dear to someone's heart'. The object is typically a person or group that feels the attachment.
Common Mistakes
(close/near) at hand
idiomSomething that is at hand is very close to you, either in time or space.
Maya kept her phone at hand in case of an emergency.
With the deadline at hand, Brian worked through the night.
If a guess or statement is close to the mark, it is almost correct.
Sara's estimate of the cost was close to the mark.
Diego's guess about the winner was near the mark.
If something is near to your heart, it is very important and meaningful to you.
Environmental issues are close to Aiden's heart.
The charity work is near to Mina's heart.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: preposition/1
All four express spatial proximity, but they differ in nuance and grammar. 'Close to' is the most direct synonym for 'near' and can replace it in almost any physical-distance context ('a hotel close to the station'), though it is slightly more formal. 'By' is more casual and often implies immediate adjacency with a sense of convenience ('sit by the window'). 'Next to' is the most precise — it means nothing is in between the two things ('the house next to the library'). 'Beside' suggests being at someone's side, often with a slightly more personal or literary tone ('she knelt beside the bed'). In grammar, 'by', 'next to', and 'beside' are pure prepositions that always take an object. 'Close to' is a two-word preposition. 'Near' and 'close to' also allow modifiers like 'very' ('very near the station'), while 'by', 'next to', and 'beside' do not ('very by the station' is wrong). For learners, 'near' is the safest all-purpose choice; choose 'next to' when you want to emphasise direct adjacency, and 'by' for informal everyday use.
Common collocations
Nouns
- the near side
- near the top
- near the bottom
- near the surface
Adverbs
- very near
- quite near
- so near
- too near
- fairly near
- relatively near
Phrases
- far and near
- draw near
- come near
- get near
- nowhere near
Prepositions
- near to
- near enough to
Etymology
The word 'near' began as the comparative form of Old English 'nēah' (close, nigh), meaning 'closer' or 'more nigh'. Over time, English speakers started using this comparative form as the ordinary positive adjective and preposition, while 'nigh' gradually became rare in everyday speech except in fixed phrases like 'the end is nigh'. The Old English 'nēah' comes from a Proto-Germanic root *nēhwaz meaning 'close', which also gave German 'nah' (close) and Gothic 'nēh' (nigh). By the Middle English period (1100–1400), 'near' was firmly established as the standard word for close distance, time, or relationship — and its original role as a comparative was taken over by 'nearer'.