Nearest — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb adjective phrase /ˈnir/

Meaning & Definition of Nearest

Nearest (adverb)

  1. at, within, or to a short distance or time
  2. almost, nearly
  3. in a close or intimate manner, closely

Nearest (adjective)

  1. not far distant in time, place, or degree
  2. almost happening, narrowly missed or avoided
  3. nearly not happening

Nearest (phrase)

  1. —used to indicate the number of pounds, dollars, etc., that is closest to a slightly higher or lower number or amount
  2. very close in relationship

Nearest (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in inner, innermost

    similar: equidistant, inmost, inner, innermost, central, halfway, intermediary, intermediate, medial, median, mediate, medium, mid, middle, midmost, betwixt and between, borderline, gray, in-between
    opposite: outer, peripheral, extreme, farthermost, farthest, furthermost, furthest, outermost, outmost, remotest, utmost

  2. as in nearby, close

    similar: approximate, close, closest, immediate, near, nearby, next-door, nigh, abutting, adjacent, adjoining, bordering, conterminous, contiguous, flanking, flush, fringing, joining, juxtaposed, neighboring, skirting, touching, verging, attached, communicating, connected, connecting, interconnecting, joined, linked, united, bounding, circumjacent, embracing, encircling, enclosing, fencing, rimming, surrounding, marginal, peripheral, tangent, tangential, ambient, encompassing
    opposite: nonadjacent, noncontiguous, apart, detached, disconnected, discrete, free-standing, isolate, isolated, removed, separate, single, unattached, unconnected, unlinked, away, distant, far, faraway, far-off, farthest, remote, discontinuous, noncontinuous, broken up, disjoined, dissevered, dissociated, disunited, divided, divorced, parted, ramified, resolved, severed, split, sundered, uncoupled, unyoked

Related Entry: Near (adjective)

Near is a different word from Nearest. The synonyms below are for near, not for nearest.

  1. being the less far of two

    "grab the comforter from the near side of the bed and fold it in half"

    similar: closer, hither, nigher, this
    related: fore, forward, front, inside
    opposite: far, farther, further, opposite, other, that
    near: distant, remote, remoter, back, outside

  2. being such only when compared to something else

    "the incessant busyness of the family next-door makes us look like we live in near retirement"

    similar: almost, approximate, comparative, relative
    related: alike, comparable, similar, equal, equivalent
    opposite: absolute, complete, downright, out-and-out, outright, perfect, pure, unqualified
    near: genuine, real, true

  3. closely resembling the object imitated

    "the dress is made from a near silk that would fool anyone but an expert"

    similar: lifelike, living, natural, naturalistic, photo-realistic, realistic, three-dimensional
    related: alike, like, matching, similar, verisimilar, akin, analogous, approximate, comparable, resembling, accurate, close, faithful, true, compelling, convincing, expressive, graphic, gritty, vivid
    opposite: nonnatural, nonrealistic, unnatural, unrealistic
    near: dissimilar, off, unalike, unlike, incomparable, unmatched, contrasted, contrasting, different, disparate, fake, mock, phony, sham

  4. not being distant in time, space, or significance

    "the famous prediction that in the near future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes"

    similar: close, close-up, immediate, nearby, neighboring, next-door, nigh, proximate, at hand, to hand
    related: abutting, adjacent, adjoining, bordering, contiguous, approaching, coming, forthcoming, oncoming, upcoming, accessible, convenient, handy, close-in, hand-to-hand
    opposite: away, deep, distant, far, faraway, far-off, remote
    near: divorced, removed, separated

  5. closely acquainted

    "only her nearest friends know she's pregnant"

    similar: bosom, buddy-buddy, chummy, close, especial, familiar, friendly, inseparable, intimate, inward, thick, tight
    related: clannish, close-knit, tight-knit, affable, boon, companionable, convivial, cordial, genial, gracious, hearty, gregarious, sociable, social, comfortable, cozy, easy, snug, amicable, neighborly, confidential, secretive, adoring, affectionate, dear, devoted, fond, loving, tender, tenderhearted, warm
    opposite: distant
    near: aloof, antisocial, cold, cool, detached, distant, frosty, remote, reserved, standoffish, unfriendly, unsociable, withdrawn

Related Entry: Near (adverb)

Near is a different word from Nearest. The synonyms below are for near, not for nearest.

  1. at, within, or to a short distance or time

    "as the campers grew cold, so they gravitated nearer to the campfire"

    "as summer draws near, we usually start planning our annual vacation"

    similar: around, by, close, hard, in, nearby, nigh, at close quarters, at hand, on one's doorstep, within call
    related: hereabouts, hereaway (dialect), thereabouts, along, alongside, accessibly, conveniently, handily

  2. to a close degree

    "copy the artist's drawing into your own sketchbook as near as you can"

    similar: closely, nearly
    near: distantly, remotely

  3. very close to but not completely

    "it's near six o'clock, so we should start preparing dinner"

    similar: about, all but, almost, borderline, fair (chiefly British), fairly, feckly (chiefly Scottish), more or less, most, much, nearly, next to, nigh, practically, somewhere, virtually, well-nigh, as good as, just about, pretty much, within an inch of
    related: appreciably, by and large, chiefly, largely, mainly, mostly, kind of, partially, partly, somewhat
    near: absolutely, altogether, completely, entirely, fully, plain, plumb (chiefly dialect), quite, thoroughly, totally, utterly, well, wholly, barely, hardly, scarcely

  4. close to but not exactly

    "it takes somewhere near an hour to get there"

    similar: about, approximately, around, like, more or less, much, plus or minus, roughly, say, some, after a fashion, somewhere about, somewhere around
    related: generally, kind of, loosely, nearly, nominally, practically, virtually, well-nigh
    opposite: exactly, precisely
    near: due, even, just, sharp, smack-dab, squarely

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Nearest

The most common words with a similar meaning to Nearest:

equidistant, inmost, inner, innermost, central, halfway, intermediary, intermediate, medial, median, mediate, medium, mid, middle, midmost, betwixt and between, borderline, gray, in-between, approximate, close, closest, immediate, near, nearby, next-door, nigh, abutting, adjacent, adjoining, bordering, conterminous, contiguous, flanking, flush, fringing, joining, juxtaposed, neighboring, skirting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Nearest

Words with the opposite meaning of Nearest:

outer, peripheral, extreme, farthermost, farthest, furthermost, furthest, outermost, outmost, remotest, utmost, nonadjacent, noncontiguous, apart, detached, disconnected, discrete, free-standing, isolate, isolated, removed, separate, single, unattached, unconnected, unlinked, away, distant, far, faraway

Word Forms of Nearest

Derived words: nearness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Nearest

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 nigh

First known use: 13th century

Words & Phrases Containing Nearest

to the nearest

Frequently Asked Questions about Nearest

What does "Nearest" mean?

"Nearest" means at, within, or to a short distance or time. As an an adverb, an adjective and a phrase, it is defined as: at, within, or to a short distance or time. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Nearest"?

Other words for "Nearest" include equidistant, inmost, inner, innermost, central, halfway, intermediary and intermediate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Nearest" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Nearest"?

There are 64 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Nearest". Common alternatives include equidistant, inmost, inner, innermost, central, halfway, intermediary, intermediate, medial and median.

What is the opposite of "Nearest"?

Antonyms of "Nearest" include outer, peripheral, extreme, farthermost, farthest, furthermost, furthest and outermost.

Is "Nearest" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Nearest" can be used as an adverb, an adjective and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Nearest"?

"Nearest" is pronounced /ˈnir/.

What is the origin of the word "Nearest"?

"Nearest" comes from 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 nigh. First known use: 13th century.

What is another word for "Nearest" meaning "as in inner, innermost"?

When "Nearest" (adjective) means as in inner, innermost, synonyms include equidistant, inmost, inner, innermost, central and halfway. Opposites in this sense include outer, peripheral, extreme and farthermost.