What is near? Pronunciation and usage in English

near means . Learn how to pronounce and use near through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of near

nearadverb

/nɪə/
Definition & pronunciation of near

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "near" in English. It's a surprisingly tricky word! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and generally accepted pronunciation is: /nɪər/

Let's break that down phonetically (using the International Phonetic Alphabet - IPA):

  • /n/: This is a simple "n" sound, like in "no".
  • /ɪər/: This is the trickiest part. It's a diphthong (a combination of two vowel sounds). It sounds like "eer" but it's slightly more drawn out and smoother. Think of it as a glide from a short "i" sound to a short "er" sound.

Here’s how it sounds in practice:

Common Mistakes & Tips:

  • Don't say "ner": This is a very common mistake! It's not how native speakers pronounce it.
  • Don’t rush the “eer” sound: Take your time to smoothly glide from ‘i’ to ‘er’. It shouldn't be a separate, distinct "er" sound.
  • The "r" is subtle: It’s not a strong, rolling "r" like in Spanish. It’s more of a very soft, light "r" sound at the end.

To summarize: "Near" is pronounced /ˈnɪər/ (nyer)

Would you like me to:

  • Repeat the pronunciation?
  • Give you some example sentences using the word "near"?

Usage and examples with the word near in English

Let's break down how to use the word "near" in English. It's a surprisingly versatile word with multiple meanings and ways to employ it. Here's a detailed explanation:

1. Proximity – Physical Distance (Most Common)

  • Meaning: “Near” primarily means close by; in the vicinity of. It describes a physical closeness.
  • Examples:
    • “The store is near the library.” (It's close to the library.)
    • “I live near a park.” (I live close to a park.)
    • “Please stand near the door.” (Stand close to the door.)
    • “The mountains are near here.” (The mountains are close to this location.)

2. Time – Shortly After

  • Meaning: "Near" can also mean shortly after a specific time.
  • Examples:
    • “I’ll see you near lunchtime.” (I’ll see you shortly after lunchtime – around lunchtime.)
    • “The meeting is near the end of the day.” (The meeting will happen close to the end of the day.)
    • “We’ll talk near midnight.” (We’ll talk around midnight.)

3. Approaching / About to

  • Meaning: It can indicate something is happening or about to happen soon.
  • Examples:
    • “A storm is near.” (A storm is approaching.)
    • “The train is near arrival.” (The train is almost here.)
    • “He’s near breaking down.” (He’s close to losing it/getting very upset.)

4. As a Preposition with "Location" (Similar to "Beside")

  • Meaning: You can use "near" to describe something being immediately next to something else. It's subtly different than "beside."
  • Examples:
    • “She sat near me.” (She was sitting close to me – not necessarily right next to me.)
    • “The book lay near the window.” (The book was close to the window.)

5. In a General Sense – Around

  • Meaning: Sometimes, “near” is used more loosely to mean "around" or "in the area of."
  • Examples:
    • “There were a lot of people near the stage.” (Lots of people were around the stage.)
    • "I looked near the counter for my keys." (I looked around the counter for my keys.)

Key Considerations and Variations:

  • “Nearby”: "Nearby" is a very common synonym for "near." It's often considered slightly more formal.
  • “Close to”: "Close to" is another frequent substitute and often interchangeable with "near."
  • “In the vicinity of”: This is a more formal way to say “near.”

Let’s test your understanding:

Fill in the blank with “near,” “nearby,” or “close to”:

  1. “The restaurant is ______ the river.”
  2. “I’m going to call you ______ 6 pm.”
  3. “He was feeling ______ overwhelmed by the problem.”

Answers to the fill-in-the-blank:

  1. near
  2. near
  3. near

Do you want me to:

  • Give you more examples of "near" in different contexts?
  • Explain how “near” is used in a specific sentence?
  • Create some practice sentences for you to try?

Synonyms for the word near

Idioms of the word near

(close/near) at hand
close to you in time or distance
  • Help was at hand.
  • The property is ideally located with all local amenities close at hand.
be close to/near the mark
to be fairly accurate in a guess, statement, etc.
  • Such guesses are thought to be close to the mark.
  • ‘The Times’ was nearer the mark when it said…
close/dear/near to somebody’s heart
having a lot of importance and interest for somebody

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