# near

/ˈnɪɹ/ (US) · /nˈiə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/near
Updated: 2026-06-15

## Senses

### 1. close to a place

preposition · CEFR A1

close to a person, place, or thing.

For teachers: indicating spatial proximity to a reference point.

- We live in a small house near the park.
- The archaeological site is located near the confluence of two major rivers, suggesting it was once a hub for regional trade.

### 2. close in time

preposition · CEFR A2

close to a particular time or event.

For teachers: indicating temporal proximity to a specific moment or event.

- 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.

### 3. physically close

adjective · CEFR A1

not far away in distance.

For teachers: situated at a short distance in space.

- 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.

### 4. closely related

adjective · CEFR B2

having a close family relationship.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. close in space or time

adverb · CEFR B1

at or to a short distance away.

For teachers: 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.

### 6. almost

adverb · CEFR B2

almost or nearly.

For teachers: 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.

### 7. to approach

verb · CEFR B1

to get closer to something in distance or time.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.