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

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
Additionally, the tester will have to take a photo that will be displayed next to each drink on their official reviews. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023 Unlike their unventilated rooms, the center is right next to a pond and a playground shaded by a few trees. Anant Gupta, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023 This siren was first abducted and then, for love, is next to this man, captive and locked up in a way. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023 Starting from next Monday (Sept. 25), she’ll be seated next to John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2023 He’s got a deck with an overgrown garden and, next to it, a light-box-like room that functions as his kitchen, studio, library and seating area. Suleman Anaya Fabian Martinez, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 Within just a few years, the British singer and songwriter had star-making guest appearances with Drake and Kendrick Lamar, a coveted spot on the short list for the Mercury Prize, and a Best New Artist nomination at the 2019 Grammy Awards, next to acts like Dua Lipa and Luke Combs. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2023 However, just after Munn successfully stopped Malcolm from grabbing the knife that lay next to the cake, the toddler got his hands on the icing and made a dent in the concoction. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2023 Suspicion: Chagrin Boulevard A caller at the Moreland Hills Town Center reported that a man was sitting in bushes and overgrown grass with an open can next to him around 9:30 p.m. Sept. 3. Thomas Jewell, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2023
Adverb
The left winglet of a Boeing 757 clipped the horizontal stabilizer of an empty Delta Air Lines Bombardier CRJ-900 that was parked next to it, the FAA said. Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Mar. 2023 Mulaney crouches next to his son, who is wearing a red and gray striped onesie. Georgia Slater, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2023 Shallow floating shelves prop up a colorful collection of kids' books next to a cozy reading chair. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2023 On the same night, a molotov cocktail had been thrown at a school next to a synagogue in the nearby city of Bochum. Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2023 He was promoted to the top line Sunday, playing next to Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2023 Several unmoving people could be seen lying on the street next to the pickup truck, the photos show. Josh Campbell, CNN, 6 Mar. 2023 There’s my bed, the TV set and next to it, there’s Juanita. Sara Mhaidli, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2023 Authorities said a woman was asleep in the Ford Excursion when another vehicle with two men and two women pulled up next to it. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of next to was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near next to

Cite this Entry

“Next to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/next%20to. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on next to

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!