Next to — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

preposition adverb

Meaning & Definition of Next to

Next to (preposition)

  1. immediately following or adjacent to
  2. in comparison to

Next to (adverb)

  1. very nearly, almost

Next to (preposition) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. close to

    "enjoys living next to the ocean"

    similar: about, around, by, near, nigh, next door to
    related: alongside, beside, across, along, at, circa, toward

  2. subsequent to in time or order

    "next to the war, the flagging economy was the biggest campaign issue"

    similar: after, après, behind, below, following, past
    related: since
    opposite: afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, of, previous to, prior to, to
    near: toward

Next to (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. very close to but not completely

    "bought it for next to nothing"

    similar: about, all but, almost, borderline, fair (chiefly British), fairly, feckly (chiefly Scottish), more or less, most, much, near, nearly, nigh, practically, somewhere, virtually, well-nigh, as good as, just about, pretty much, within an inch of
    related: appreciably, by and large, chiefly, largely, mainly, mostly, kind of, partially, partly, somewhat
    near: absolutely, altogether, completely, entirely, fully, plain, plumb (chiefly dialect), quite, thoroughly, totally, utterly, well, wholly, barely, hardly, scarcely

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Next to

The most common words with a similar meaning to Next to:

Chiefly British: fair
Chiefly Scottish: feckly
about, around, by, near, nigh, after, après, behind, below, following, past, next door to, all but, almost, borderline, fairly, more or less, most, much, nearly, practically, somewhere, virtually, well-nigh, as good as, just about, pretty much, within an inch of

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Next to

Words with the opposite meaning of Next to:

afore, ahead of, before, ere, of, previous to, prior to, to

Related Words for Next to

alongside, beside, across, along, at, circa, toward, since, appreciably, by and large, chiefly, largely, mainly, mostly, kind of, partially, partly, somewhat

Near Antonyms of Next to

toward, absolutely, altogether, completely, entirely, fully, plain, plumb, quite, thoroughly, totally, utterly, well, wholly, barely, hardly, scarcely

Origin & Etymology of Next to

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Next to

next to nothing, next to last, cleanliness is next to godliness

Frequently Asked Questions about Next to

What does "Next to" mean?

"Next to" means immediately following or adjacent to. As an a preposition and an adverb, it is defined as: immediately following or adjacent to. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Next to"?

Other words for "Next to" include about, around, by, near, nigh, after, après and behind. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Next to" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Next to"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Next to". Common alternatives include about, around, by, near, nigh, after, après, behind, below and following.

What is the opposite of "Next to"?

Antonyms of "Next to" include afore, ahead of, before, ere, of, previous to, prior to and to. Near antonyms include toward, absolutely, altogether and completely.

How do you use "Next to" in a sentence?

Examples of "Next to" in a sentence: "enjoys living next to the ocean"; "next to the war, the flagging economy was the biggest campaign issue"; "bought it for next to nothing".

Is "Next to" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Next to" can be used as a preposition and an adverb, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Next to"?

First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Next to" meaning "close to"?

When "Next to" (preposition) means close to, synonyms include about, around, by, near, nigh and next door to.