nearby

adverb or adjective

near·​by nir-ˈbī 

ˈnir-ˌbī

: close at hand

Synonyms of nearby

• close
• near
• in

Examples of nearby in a Sentence

grabbed the nearby quilt and gently laid it over the sleeping child

I'll be nearby if you need anything

Recent Examples on the Web

Video clips from bystanders shortly after the shooting Thursday show Belgal on the pavement with his hands cuffed and ICE officers nearby. — Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026

What to do nearby The hotel sits in a prime position between the sleek towers of the Porta Nuova neighborhood and the city’s historic center. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026

These days, Bragg lives with Margaret nearby, in a red-cedar cabin on forty acres of pastureland grazed upon by two miniature donkeys. — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026

The arrival in May 2024 of Elmore County Sheriff’s deputies to Katie and Kari’s parents’ home — Katie lived nearby and was visiting — came as a shock to their family. — Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nearby

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

nearby

adverb or adjective

near·​by ni(ə)r-ˈbī 

ˈni(ə)r-ˌbī

: close at hand