From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnearnear1 /nɪə $ nɪr/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb, preposition 1 short distance awayNEAR only a short distance from a person or thing → close, nearby They live near London. I’m sure they live somewhere near here. They moved house to be nearer the school.near to especially British English a hotel near to the beach She told the children not to go near the canal. I’m warning you – don’t come any nearer! We heard voices as we drew near the village.2 short time beforeSOON soon before a particular time or event I didn’t remember to phone until near the end of the week.near to especially British English I’ll give you a ring a bit nearer to Christmas. They should send us more details nearer the time of the concert.3 almost doing something almost doing something or almost in a particular state The work is now near completion. A lot of the women were near tears. We are no nearer an agreement than we were six months ago.near to He was near to panic as he scrambled out of the building. She was near to crying. He seemed to know that he was near to death.4 amount or level almost at a particular amount or level Inflation is now near 10%. He looked nearer fifty than forty.near to Unemployment is now near to its all-time low. Strawberries are near the top of the list.5 similarLIKE/SIMILAR if something is near something else, it is similar to it His story was near enough the truth for people to believe it.near to They say that love is very near to hate. It may not be an exact replica but it’s pretty damn near. 6 → near perfect/impossible etc7 → draw near8 → (as) near as damn it9 → near enough10 → nowhere near/not anywhere near11 → not come near somebody/something12 → somebody will not go near somebody/something13 → so near and yet so farTHESAURUSnear only a short distance from something or someoneI live near Salzburg in Austria.If we moved to Dallas, we’d be near my parents.close very near something or someone, or almost touching themThe hotel is close to the beach.Nancy came and sat close beside me on the bed.not far (away) not a long distance away – used when saying that a place is near enough to be easy to get toThe station’s not far away from here.nearby near here or near a particular placeIs there a post office nearby?A group of reporters were waiting nearby.within walking distance (of something) easy to walk to from somewhere, or near enough to something for you to walk thereThere’s a good school within walking distance.The house is within walking distance of shopping facilities.be convenient for something British English, be convenient to something American English to be near a place that people want to get to, so that the place is easy to reachThe area is very convenient for Gatwick airport.I want a hotel that’s convenient for the city centre.locally in or near the area where you are or the area you are talking aboutI prefer to buy fruit and vegetables that are grown locally.around here (also round here British English) spoken in the general area near hereParking is impossible around here.Is there a garage round here?in the neighbourhood British English, in the neighborhood American English living or existing in the area where you are or the area you are talking aboutWe grew up knowing all the other kids in the neighbourhood.There’s very little crime in the neighborhood.in the vicinity formal in the area around and near a particular place – used especially in news reportsA white van was seen in the vicinity at the time the murder took place.neighbouring British English, neighboring American English used about towns, countries etc that are very near a particular placediscussions between Egypt and neighbouring statesThe rioting quickly spread to neighbouring areas.
Examples from the Corpus
near• Sasha grew up on a farm near Ithaca, New York.• Add the cream near the end of the cooking time.• Asha's office is near the vending machines.somewhere near here• And they must live somewhere near here.• I shall buy a house somewhere near here and I shall live there.• It was somewhere near here, in March 1939, that the Imperial Airways flying boat Corsair came down.nearer the time• Further details will follow nearer the time.• Further information will be made available nearer the time.• I hope you can attend the meeting for which an agenda and papers will be circulated nearer the time.• Please note it in your diary - detailed notices will, of course, be sent nearer the time.• Please watch the local press for details nearer the time.• Somervillians in the area will be hearing more nearer the time.• They won't move until nearer the time, anyway.• We will write to you nearer the time when we have more details.near tears• Looking out over the cheering audience, Alvin found himself near tears.• The interview ended with near tears.• Rosamund Coldharbour had been near tears, he had noticed, as he had gone into Wheeler's room.near enough• No one was near enough to accost her or wonder about her presence.• Jones and Brewer have had a long series of injuries, but both are near enough to fitness and form.• At noon they saw it; then they were near enough to hear it.• He is near enough to hear them calling, the words bounced and steered and elongated by the contours of the land.• Filmer had been sitting with his back to me, it was true, but near enough to overhear.• The Trojans were almost near enough to set the ships on fire.• When he saw me, he leaned on his shovel until I was near enough to shake hands.nearnear2 ●●● S2 W3 adjective 1 NEARonly a short distance away from someone or something → close, nearby It’s a beautiful house but it’s 20 miles away from the nearest town. We can meet at the pub or in the restaurant, whichever’s nearer for you.GRAMMAR: Patterns with near• You usually use near as a preposition. You say: The hotel is near the airport.• You can also say: The hotel is near to the airport. ✗Don’t say: near from the airport• Near is not usually used on its own as an adjective. You don’t usually say ‘The village is near.’ You usually say: The village is not far away.• You use nearby before a noun: We went to a nearby park. ✗Don’t say: We went to a near park.• You can use the forms nearer and nearest as adjectives: My house is nearer.• You can use nearest before a noun: They headed for the nearest beach.2 → a near disaster/collapse etc3 → the nearest thing/equivalent to something4 → in the near future5 → be a near thing6 → near miss7 → to the nearest £10/hundred etc8 a) FAMILY near relative/relation a relative who is very closely related to you such as a parent The death of a near relative is a terrible trauma for a child. b) FAMILY somebody’s nearest and dearest someone’s family – used humorously9 [only before noun, no comparative] a) NEARused to describe the side of something that is closest to where you are the near bank of the river b) TTC British English used when talking about the parts of a vehicle to mean the one that is closest to the side of the road when you drive OPP off The headlight on the near side isn’t working. → nearly —nearness noun [uncountable]Examples from the Corpus
near• Martha has to drive 20 miles to the nearest doctor.• At least things are moving now on 2807 and we may have more news in the near future.• You know how far it was from our farm to the nearest golf course?• And those are just a few with Hall of Fame or near Hall of Fame credentials.• The nearest lakes are Derwentwater and the larger Ullswater where you can take a cruise.• She'd reach for the nearest man, and pull.• Other men in the car were watching them too, and the near ones were listening.• Also, as Sheila Silcock's article highlights, the nearest relative may be unaware of their rights under the Act.nearnear3 ●●○ verb written 1 [transitive]ALMOST to come closer to a place SYN approach She began to feel nervous as she neared the house. The ship was nearing the harbour.2 [transitive] to come closer to being in a particular state The work is nearing completion. He’s 55 now, and nearing retirement.3 [transitive] to come closer to a particular time He was nearing the end of his stay in India.4 [intransitive]ALMOST if a time nears, it gets closer and will come soon He got more and more nervous as the day of his departure neared.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
near• When the temperature nears 100, pets can get overheated even when riding in air-conditioned cars.• Nevins is nearing 40 but still looks boyish.• Or it may be that the race is in fact tightening up as the Nov. 5 Election Day nears.• As the deadline neared, both sides agreed to continue talking.• Work is nearing completion.• The Worth Valley Railway's standard class four 2-6-4T 80002 nears completion.• As she neared her home she could see a light in the window.• Then, as we neared home again, I noticed Iobates' bodyguard hiding in ambush.• She neared the exit with relief. 