near

¹near

adv \ˈnir\

Definition of NEAR

1

: at, within, or to a short distance or time <sunset was drawing near>

2

: almost, nearly <was near dead>

3

: in a close or intimate manner : closely <near related>

4

archaic : in a frugal manner

Examples of NEAR

1. The plant was near dead when I got it.
2. <as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire>

Origin of NEAR

Middle English ner, partly from ner nearer, from Old English nēar, comparative of nēah nigh; partly from Old Norse nær nearer, comparative of nā- nigh — more at nigh

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to NEAR

Synonyms: around, by, close, hard, in, nearby, nigh, at close quarters, at hand, on one's doorstep, within call

Antonyms: exactly, precisely

Related Words: hereabouts (or hereabout), hereaway (or hereaways) [dialect], thereabouts (also thereabout); along, alongside; accessibly, conveniently, handily

Near Antonyms: distantly, remotely

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with NEAR

beer, bier, blear, cere, cheer, clear, dear, deer, Deere, drear, ear, fear, fere, fleer, gear, hear, here, jeer, leer, mere, mir, peer, pier, Pierre, queer, rear, schmear, sear, seer, sere, shear, sheer, skirr, smear, sneer, spear, speer, sphere, steer, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, weir, year