Cool MateAround about vs Nearly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Around about
Top 2,000 (common)
Nearly
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
Most common: Nearly
| Around about | Nearly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //əˈraʊnd əˈbaʊt//🇺🇸 //əˈraʊnd əˈbaʊt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnɪəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnɪrli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Approximately or roughly. | almost or very close to something |
| Example | The meeting will start at around about 3 PM. | She runs nearly every day to stay fit. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | around about five, around about a week, around about the same time | nearly correct, nearly finished, nearly perfect, nearly half, nearly impossible |
| Antonyms | exactly, precisely | completely, not at all |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'around' or 'about' alone., Used in overly formal contexts., 'Around about' not followed by a number for estimates. | 'Nearly' used incorrectly with negative forms (e.g. 'not nearly enough')., Confusing 'nearly' with 'hardly' (the latter implies less than expected)., Using 'nearly' with uncountable nouns when it's not appropriate. |
| Usage notes | Used in informal contexts to indicate an estimate of time or distance. Avoid in formal writing. | Use 'nearly' to indicate something is close to happening or to a specific amount, suitable in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it in formal academic writing where more precise language is preferred. |
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Frequently asked questions: Around about vs Nearly
What's the difference between Around about and Nearly?
Around about: Approximately or roughly. Nearly: almost or very close to something
Which is more common: Around about and Nearly?
Nearly is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Around about: The meeting will start at around about 3 PM. Nearly: She runs nearly every day to stay fit.
Can I use Around about and Nearly interchangeably?
Not always. Around about and Nearly 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.