almost

1 of 2

adverb

: very nearly but not exactly or entirely
We're almost there.
The work is almost done.

almost

2 of 2

adjective

: very near but not quite
an almost failure

Examples of almost in a Sentence

Adverb Analysts predict that rates will rise by almost 40 percent. Goats will eat almost anything. Adjective burdened with impossibly high expectations, the movie came to be regarded as an almost failure
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Richland Pointe Village opened in 2021 and occupies almost 35 acres on the eastern shore of the lake. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024 More than 13,000 copyright complaints—encompassing almost 30,000 URLs—have been made to Google concerning content on a dozen of the most popular deepfake websites. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 But after being traded to the Dodgers in December from the Tampa Bay Rays, then immediately signing a five-year, $136.5-million deal that secured his future in L.A. long-term, Glasnow could have as impactful an on-field role as almost anyone else on the club’s new-look roster. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Kirsten Dunst almost took a tumble during the Oscars but won the award for most graceful recovery. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 11 Mar. 2024 This time, a body doesn’t appear until almost 300 pages deep (in a 450-ish-page novel). Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 Late in the story, almost imperceptibly, the narrator himself ends up in the hospital. Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The station, formerly located in a tiny studio behind a glass window at the front of a restaurant on First Avenue in New York’s East Village, opened directly onto the sidewalk, offering an almost surreal intimacy between passersby and the DJs. Jem Aswad, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 With vocals that feel like braided silk and rhythms like waves slowly lapping in a sepulcher, The Rot carries the listener to a romantic – almost gothic – space while keeping one tethered to reality. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 11 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Despite arguably kicking off the trend of internet shutdowns a decade ago with an almost year-long blackout in the western province of Xinjiang, China is not a frequent offender. James Griffiths, CNN, 9 Jan. 2020 West made his triumphant return to Twitter last Friday after an almost year-long hiatus. NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018 Kentucky's almost year-old $45 million facility has a barber shop like Oregon, plus ventilated lockers with phone charging stations and a dining area complete with a chef. Ron Higgins, NOLA.com, 20 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'almost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English ealmǣst, from eall + mǣst most

Adjective

derivative of almost entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of almost was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near almost

Cite this Entry

“Almost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/almost. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

almost

adverb
al·​most
ˈȯl-ˌmōst,
ȯl-ˈmōst
: only a little less than : nearly
we're almost finished

More from Merriam-Webster on almost

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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