# vicinity

/vəˈsɪnəti/ (US) · /vɪsˈɪnɪti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vicinity
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. surrounding area

noun · CEFR B2

the area near or around a particular place.

For teachers: the area or region near or surrounding a particular place; often used with the preposition 'of'.

- There are several good restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
- The police searched the immediate vicinity of the crime scene for any discarded evidence that might lead to a suspect.

Usage: Usually appears in the phrase 'in the vicinity of'.

### 2. approximate amount

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

an amount that is close to a specific number but not exact.

For teachers: an approximate amount, value, or quantity; typically used in the formal phrase 'in the vicinity of'.

- The new car will cost somewhere in the vicinity of thirty thousand dollars.
- The total cost of the renovation project is estimated to be in the vicinity of half a million pounds, depending on material costs.

Usage: Almost exclusively used in the prepositional phrase 'in the vicinity of' followed by a number or value.

## Examples

- There are no good restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
- The police searched the vicinity of the park for the missing keys but found nothing.
- While the property itself is modest, its location in the vicinity of the new tech hub has caused its market value to triple over the last decade.

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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.