next

1 of 4

adjective

ˈnekst 

1

: immediately adjacent (as in place, rank, or time)

2

: any other considered hypothetically

knew it as well as the next man

see also:

next to nothing

next

2 of 4

preposition

: nearest or adjacent to

next

3 of 4

adverb

1

: in the time, place, or order nearest or immediately succeeding

next we drove home

the next closest school

2

: on the first occasion to come

when next we meet

next

4 of 4

noun

: one that is next

from one day to the next

Synonyms of next

Adjective

• following
• ensuing
• second
• coming

Examples of next in a Sentence

Adjective

I'll see you next Monday.

Next year's party will be even better.

the very next thing that happened

Can I help the next person in line? Who's next?

We could hear people talking in the next room.

At the next set of lights, turn left.

I need the next size up.

The next time we will see each other will be on our wedding day.

Next time, please remember to bring your books to class.

She knew the answer as well as the next person.

Adverb

Next, I need to ask you a few questions about your family.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

However, the incoming Congress will not be officially sworn in until January 3rd of next year, leaving the current administration nearly two months to advance diplomatic initiatives under the existing congressional configuration. — CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

After starting in the middle of the night, candidates get about four hours of sleep over the next five days and complete tasks like carrying logs, launching boats into crashing waves, lying in cold ocean water and running around 200 miles. — James Laporta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026

Preposition

The election results still need to be certified and submitted to the president next Wednesday. — Cara Anna, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026

Energy bill support Healey extended the VAT cut on energy bills until July 2027, which is expected to take around £50 off the annual Ofgem price cap next April. — Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 30 Oct. 2026

Adverb

But for all of that, after the masonry and concrete of Westminster have fallen, there’s no real sense of what’s to come next, how a new society is to arise when the fireworks cool and the Tchaikovsky is silent. — Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026

In a social media poll Wednesday afternoon, Mary Talley Bowden—a dejected MAHA activist, anti-vaccine advocate, and doctor reprimanded for prescribing ivermectin to treat COVID-19—polled her followers about what should come next. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026

Noun

His most recent movie role was in the Finnish horror Nightborn, which premiered in Berlin earlier this year, and his next is in Ebenezer with Johnny Depp. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026

Then a decision on what to do next will be made in conjunction with the medical experts and Dart. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English nīehst, superlative of nēah nigh — more at nigh

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing next

• better luck next time
• cleanliness is next to godliness
• from one day to the next
• from one minute to the next
• from one moment to the next
• girl next door
• in the next life
• next best
• next-door
• next-door neighbor
• next door to
• next friend
• next-gen
• next-generation
• next-level
• next of kin
• next to
• next to last
• next to nothing
• the boy/girl next door
• the next best thing
• the next big thing
• the next couple of
• the next life
• the next man/person
• the next thing I knew
• week after next

Rhymes for next

• flexed
• sexed
• text
• vexed
• ciphertext
• hypertext
• multiplexed
• teletext
• complexed
• deflexed
• perplexed
• plaintext

Kids Definition

next

1 of 3 adjective

ˈnekst 

: coming immediately before or following

the next page

the house next to ours

next

2 of 3 preposition

(ˈ)nekst

: next to entry 1

next

3 of 3 adverb

ˈnekst

1

: in the nearest time, place, or order following

open this package next

2

: at the first time to come after this

when next we meet