nearabouts
Around here, or roughly that close in time or place.
Also called nearabout, near 'bouts.
Updated September 24, 2026
nearabouts pronunciation
/NEER-uh-bouts/
Meaning
Nearabouts points to the general area without pinning an exact spot. Somebody might say the store is nearabouts the crossroads, or supper is nearabouts ready. In Southern and Appalachian talk it covers nearby place and rough estimate both. You get the ballpark, not a GPS pin.
How folks use it
- “The fishing hole is nearabouts that big oak by the creek.”
- “It's nearabouts dark, so we better head in.”
Origin and etymology
From older English near about, meaning close to. OED traces nearabout forms back to Middle English. The plural-sounding nearabouts hung on longest in Southern and Appalachian speech for place and approximate time.
Frequently asked questions
Does nearabouts only mean nearby?
Nearby is one sense. It also means roughly, like nearabouts a mile or nearabouts noon.