NEARs

Nears is the third-person singular present tense of the verb near. It describes the action of coming closer in space or time, or moving toward something. The sense can be transitive, as in nearing a target, or intransitive, referring to something that is approaching without a direct object.

Usage: In contemporary English, nears is used in both physical and temporal contexts. Examples include “The train nears the station” and “As the deadline nears, officials pause to review plans.” While many writers prefer more formal substitutes like approach or draw near in certain registers, nears remains common in narrative, journalism, and everyday speech. It can govern a direct object (nearing the station) or occur with a non-specific object when focusing on imminence (time nears).

Etymology and history: The verb near originated in Old English as nearian (or nearian) and is part of the broader Germanic linguistic heritage. It has cognates in related languages and has been part of English since the Middle English period. The form nears reflects standard English verb conjugation for third-person singular present.

Related terms: Near functions as an adjective, adverb, and preposition in English, while nearness forms the corresponding noun. Synonyms and closely related concepts include approach, draw near, and proximity. See also proximity, approach, and the broader family of words derived from near.