next to

1 of 2

preposition

1

: immediately following or adjacent to

2

: in comparison to

next to you I'm wealthy

next to

2 of 2

adverb

: very nearly : almost

it was next to impossible to see in the fog

Synonyms of next to

Preposition

• near
• around
• next door to
• beside
• by
• at

Adverb

• almost
• nearly
• practically
• just about
• fairly
• about
• pretty much

Examples of next to in a Sentence

Preposition

enjoys living next to the ocean

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

Adverb

bought it for next to nothing

Recent Examples on the Web

Preposition

So there was an Army and a Navy grave right next to each other. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025

About 83% of people list it as the most important consideration—right next to job security—with pay ranked in third as a motivator at 82%. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025

Adverb

Here too is Jim Buck, 75, a former teacher who played the area card game as a kid, playing on a soda case next to a pot-belly stove in this rural part of Tennessee. —Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025

According to charging documents obtained by WJZ, the man showed up in a bay window next to the home and pointed a handgun at the carolers, sending them running away. —Adam Thompson, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for next to

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

next to

1 of 2 preposition

: immediately following : being close to

next to the head of her class

next to

2 of 2 adverb

: very nearly : almost