Meaning & use
near
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Meanings
preposition
At a short distance from someone or something.
Grammar: Takes a noun phrase after it: near the station, near me.
Patterns
- near something
- near someone
- near here
- near the station
There is a small café near the station.
She sat near the window so she could see the street.
We live near my grandparents.
preposition
Close to a point in time.
Grammar: Used with times and events: near the end, near midnight.
Patterns
- near the end
- near midnight
- near the time
The project was finished near the end of May.
It was near midnight when we finally got home.
Near the time of the exam, she stopped going out.
adjectivecomparable
Close in distance or time; not far away.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun ('the near future') or after a verb ('the station is near').
Patterns
- the near future
- a near miss
- be near
- get near
We hope to move house in the near future.
The nearest shop is two streets away.
The car came to a near stop at the corner.
verbtransitiveformal
To come closer to someone or something.
Grammar: Takes an object: near the shore, near the end.
Patterns
- near something
- near the shore
- near completion
The ship neared the harbor as the sun set.
The project is nearing completion.
As the deadline neared, everyone worked faster.
Word forms
| comparative | nearer |
|---|---|
| superlative | nearest |
| third person singular | nears |
| past tense | neared |
| past participle | neared |
| -ing form | nearing |
Common combinations
- near the end
- Near the end of the film, the hero returns home.
- in the near future
- We expect changes in the near future.
- a near miss
- The two planes had a near miss over the airport.
- near completion
- The new bridge is near completion.
- near enough
- The recipe is near enough to the original.
Synonyms and how they differ
- close
- Often interchangeable, but 'close' can suggest a stronger emotional or physical closeness.
- nearby
- Means 'not far away' and is usually used after a noun or as an adverb, not before a noun.
- around
- Used for approximate time or place ('around midnight'), while 'near' is more precise.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: near or nearby? near or nearly?
near vs nearby
'Near' is a preposition or adjective; 'nearby' is an adjective or adverb meaning 'not far away' and does not take an object.
near vs nearly
'Nearly' means 'almost', not 'close in distance'. Say 'nearly finished', not 'near finished'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Near' as a preposition takes a direct object without 'to', 'of', or 'at': 'near the park'. 'Near to' is possible in British English but less common and not needed here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “near”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.