Approximately vs Near

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Approximately

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adverb

Near

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 preposition

Most common: Near

	Approximately	Near
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/əˈprɒksɪmətli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/əˈprɑːksɪmətli/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/nɪə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/nɪr/"]/
Meaning	About or close to a certain amount.	close to something
Example	The journey took approximately seven hours.	The school is near my house.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B1	A1
Part of speech	adverb	preposition
Collocations	approximately equal to, approximately 50%, approximately three hours	near future, nearby location, near misses
Antonyms	exactly, precisely	far, distant, remote
Common mistakes	Using 'approximately' with a precise number (e.g., saying 'approximately 2000' instead of 'about 2000')., Confusing 'approximately' with 'exactly'., Omitting 'approximately' when it’s needed for clarity in estimates.	Confused with 'close' as both can mean similar things., Using 'nears' as a verb form instead of 'is near'., Omitting the object when saying 'near' without context.
Usage notes	Use 'approximately' when giving an estimate. It's appropriate in academic and professional contexts, but may sound overly formal in casual conversations.	Used when referring to physical or figurative closeness. Generally acceptable in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using in overly formal settings.

See it in real clips

We are at approximately 45th Street in New York City at One Astor Plaza.

Approximately

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

It must be getting near teatime.

Near

Frequently asked questions: Approximately vs Near

What's the difference between Approximately and Near?

Approximately: About or close to a certain amount. Near: close to something

Which is more common: Approximately and Near?

Near is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Approximately and Near?

Approximately is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Approximately and Near the same CEFR level?

Approximately: B1, Near: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Approximately and Near?

Approximately: adverb, Near: preposition.

Can you show an example of each?

Approximately: The journey took approximately seven hours. Near: The school is near my house.

Can I use Approximately and Near interchangeably?

Not always. Approximately and Near are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.