How to pronounce near
Say it like NEER. Near is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce near. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- NEER
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Near pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- NEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of near
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: NEER.
What does near mean?
- not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances“near neighbors”“in the near future”
- being on the left side“the near or nigh horse is the one on the left”“the animal's left side is its near or nigh side”
- closely resembling the genuine article“near beer”“a dress of near satin”
- near in time or place or relationship“as the wedding day drew near”“stood near the door”
- (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but“the job is (just) about done”“the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded”
- move towards“We were approaching our destination”“They are drawing near”
Where does near come from?
Near appears to be derived from (or at the very least influenced by) the North Germanic languages; as opposed to nigh, which continues the inherited West Germanic adjective.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with near
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of near.
Questions about saying near
How do you pronounce near?
Say NEER. The American pronunciation is /nɪr/. In British English it is /nɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in near?
Near is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: NEER.
Is near pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /nɪə/ (NEER).