Meaning of near In English

• 0 not far away in distance:

  • Is there a restaurant near here?

  • I'd like to sit near a window, please.

  • Don't come too near me - you might catch my cold.

  • The hotel is near the airport.

  • Which bus stop is nearest (to) your house?

  • I was standing just near enough to hear what they were saying.

  • As the date of his operation drew near, he became more and more anxious.

  • UK We can decide which route to take nearer the time.

  • The runners looked near exhaustion.

  • UK I was near (to) tears (= almost cried) at one point during the film.

  • The house was nowhere near the beach.

  • It's nowhere near time for us to leave yet.

  • I'm nowhere near finishing the book - I'm only half-way through it.

  • He's nowhere near as tall as his sister.

  • They're the same age or near enough.

• 1 not far away in distance, time, characteristics, or quality:

  • Where's the nearest post office?

  • My pocket knife is the nearest thing (= the most similar thing) to a weapon that I have.

  • I couldn't get any cream cheese so I bought the nearest equivalent (= the most similar thing) that I could find.

  • All our computer equipment will be replaced in the near future.

• 2 to get close to something in distance, time, or state:

  • I'm pleased to say the project is nearing completion.

  • As the wedding day neared, I started to have second thoughts about getting married.

  • The captain switched on the seat belt sign as we neared the airport.

• 3 combines with adjectives and nouns to mean "almost":

  • We had a near-disaster this morning in the car!

  • She was near-hysterical by the time I arrived there.

• 4 close to; not far away from in distance, time, or relationship:

  • We live near the school.

  • She asked to sit nearer the front of the classroom.

  • It will probably be near midnight by the time we get home.

  • We couldn’t park anywhere near the theater.

• 5 not far away in distance, time, or relationship:

  • in the near future

  • The nearest library is in the next town.

• 6 not far away in distance, time, or relationship:

  • I wish we lived nearer.

  • I was standing near enough to hear what they were saying.

• 7 to come closer to something, or to approach:

  • [ I ] As the big day nears, I’m starting to get nervous.

  • [ T ] The project is nearing completion.