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

Modernize through software first, reclaim control, and build systems fit for the next decade and beyond. —CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

House Republicans are set to take the next steps on Wednesday to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with committee subpoenas related to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. —Lauren Peller, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026

Preposition

California's Dream For All program is reopening applications next month, offering down payment assistance to eligible first-generation homebuyers struggling to break into the state's expensive housing market. —Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

Trump will also address his economic agenda next week in Iowa and is expected to travel more domestically ahead of the 2026 midterms, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told reporters before landing in Switzerland. —Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2026

Adverb

Snow timeline in Massachusetts Up next, the snow. —Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026

In this interview with Interesting Engineering (IE), Natarajan reflects on his career and what comes next as the industry confronts limits that are no longer theoretical. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026

Noun

With a shift in economic activity from one generation to the next also comes with new flows of wealth, and this is something governments around the world will be looking to leverage, according to experts. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025

On the next, Jalen Hurts threw an interception. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 Nov. 2025

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