near

A2 · Elementary

prep. close to a particular time or event.

prep. indicating temporal proximity to a specific moment or event.

日本語:近く※

Español:cerca de

“It was getting near lunchtime, so we stopped working.”

“As we drew near the end of the fiscal year, the accounting department worked late every night to reconcile the books.”

A1 · Beginner

adj. not far away in distance.

adj. situated at a short distance in space.

日本語:近い※

“In the near future, more people will work from home.”

“The hikers sought shelter in a near cave when the clouds began to darken and the wind picked up.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. having a close family relationship.

adj. denoting a close degree of kinship or relationship.

“Only near relatives were invited to the small wedding ceremony.”

“The estate was divided among his near relations, as he had died without leaving a formal will or naming a direct heir.”

B1 · Intermediate

adv. at or to a short distance away.

adv. at, within, or to a short distance or interval.

“The exams are drawing near, so I need to start studying.”

“The deadline for the project is drawing near, yet several key components of the software remain in the testing phase.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adv. almost or nearly.

adv. used to indicate that something is almost the case.

“The work is near finished, so we can go home soon.”

“After three years of research, the team is near certain that they have identified the cause of the structural failure.”

B1 · Intermediate

v. to get closer to something in distance or time.

v. to approach or move closer to a physical or temporal point.

“As the plane neared the airport, we could see the city lights.”

“As the ship neared the rocky coastline, the captain ordered the crew to reduce speed and monitor the sonar readings closely.”