nearest

The word “nearest” means superlative of near: closest in distance, time, or relation. In plain terms, the most close of all — the superlative of "near.".

“Nearest” is pronounced NEER-rihst (/ˈnɪɹɪst/ in IPA).

Here is “nearest” used in a sentence: “What's the nearest supermarket?”

Depending on how it is used, “nearest” can be an adjective and a preposition.

“Nearest” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Nearest” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: superlative of near: closest in distance, time, or relation.

Nearest and closest are often interchangeable and both mean the least far away, as in 'the nearest shop' or 'the closest shop.' Closest is sometimes preferred for relationships or emotional bonds, while nearest leans slightly toward physical distance.

Nearer is the comparative form, used to compare two things ('this one is nearer'), while nearest is the superlative, used for the closest of three or more ('the nearest of them all'). Use nearest when singling out the one closest option.

The phrase 'to the nearest' is used when rounding numbers, as in 'rounded to the nearest whole number' or 'to the nearest pound.' It means adjusting a figure to the closest listed value.

Nearest is often followed by 'to' when comparing position, as in 'the seat nearest to the door,' though the 'to' is frequently dropped in everyday speech ('nearest the door'). Both forms are correct.