near
neer
Near (adj) means Physically close to something or someone. Example: “The bus stop is near the pharmacy.”
adj
1
Physically close to something or someone.
"The bus stop is near the pharmacy."
"She stayed near the exit in case of an emergency."
"The near side of the road has no pavement at all."
2
Close in time; soon to happen.
"The wedding is drawing near."
"We are near the end of the project."
"In the near future, we hope to move into a bigger house."
3
Closely connected, related, or similar; almost the same.
"It was a near copy of the original design."
"They reached a near consensus on the plan."
"The painting was a near perfect match for the original colours."
adv
1
Almost; approximately.
"The tank is near empty."
"It took near an hour to fix."
"The room went near silent when the teacher walked in."
prep
1
At or to a short distance from.
"They live near the coast."
"Park the car near the entrance."
"We sat near the window so we could watch the rain."
How to use near
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishClose by in distance, time, or relationship — not far off.
Common mistake
As a preposition, "near" doesn't need "to": say "near the station," not "near to the station" (though "near to" is used in more formal or emotional contexts, e.g. "near to tears").
Easily confused with
Common pairings
near the end
near miss
nowhere near
draw near
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like near.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- nears
- Third person singular
- nears
- Past tense
- neared
- Comparative
- nearer
- Superlative
- nearest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bus stop is _____ the pharmacy.
Etymology
From Old English nēar, originally the comparative of "nigh" ("close"). Over time "near" took over as the plain adjective, while "nigh" became old-fashioned.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for near
See all rhymes for near →Frequently asked questions
What does “near” mean?
The word “near” means physically close to something or someone. In plain terms, close by in distance, time, or relationship — not far off.
How do you pronounce “near”?
“Near” is pronounced neer (/nɪɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “near” in a sentence?
Here is “near” used in a sentence: “The bus stop is near the pharmacy.”
What is another word for “near”?
Words with a similar meaning to “near” include around the corner, citerior, close, close by, immediate and nearby.
What is the opposite of “near”?
The opposite of “near” — its antonyms — are off, distant and far from.
What part of speech is “near”?
Depending on how it is used, “near” can be an adjective, an adverb and a preposition.
Where does the word “near” come from?
The word “near” comes from Old English. From Old English nēar, originally the comparative of "nigh" ("close"). Over time "near" took over as the plain adjective, while "nigh" became old-fashioned.
Is “near” a common word?
“Near” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "near" and "close"?
They are largely interchangeable when describing distance — "near the station" and "close to the station" mean the same. "Close" can suggest a slightly smaller gap and is also used for relationships ("a close friend"), where "near" would not fit. For plain physical distance, either word works well.
What is the opposite of "near"?
The opposite is "far" or "distant," describing something a long way off. Related terms include "remote" and "faraway." Where near means only a short distance away, its opposites stress a large gap in space — and sometimes in time, as in "the distant future" versus "the near future."
What is the difference between "near" and "nearby"?
"Near" usually needs an object — you are near something — as in "near the door." "Nearby" stands alone to mean close at hand, as in "a shop nearby" or "they live nearby." Both describe short distances, but "nearby" does not require you to say near to what.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include near:
