1
: immediately adjacent (as in place, rank, or time)
2
: any other considered hypothetically
knew it as well as the next man
see also:
: nearest or adjacent to
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
: one that is next
from one day to the next
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
Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2026
The next morning, doctors noted that his tongue had become swollen, DHS said.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Mar. 2026
Lorne Cook The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Still, preserving funds for some degree of rebate isn’t the only challenge House Democrats face to compromise with Lamont and increase education aid next fiscal year.
—Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
Other local Chicano cultural and movement leaders were also reflecting on what to do next, and on the need for solidarity with victims.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
In Hawaii’s biennial legislative cycle, bills introduced but not enacted in one year can carry over into the next and retain their status, which means a carried‑over cannabis bill can still be considered in 2026 without reintroduction.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for next
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Treasury yields fell on Wednesday as investors await the Federal Reserve’s next policy decision on interest rates, due later in the session.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2026
The next morning, doctors noted that his tongue had become swollen, DHS said.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Mar. 2026
Preposition
Orbán, who is trailing in opinion polls ahead of elections next month, has leaned heavily on an election campaign that portrays Zelenskyy as an existential threat to Hungary.
—Lorne Cook The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Still, preserving funds for some degree of rebate isn’t the only challenge House Democrats face to compromise with Lamont and increase education aid next fiscal year.
—Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Adverb
What happens next The Ford will spend over a week at Souda Bay for pierside repairs.
—Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
Other local Chicano cultural and movement leaders were also reflecting on what to do next, and on the need for solidarity with victims.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
Hanizam/Getty Images Carrying credit card debt from one month to the next has always been costly, but the math has gotten especially brutal over the last few years.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
In Hawaii’s biennial legislative cycle, bills introduced but not enacted in one year can carry over into the next and retain their status, which means a carried‑over cannabis bill can still be considered in 2026 without reintroduction.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for next
Cite this Entry
“Next.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/next. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
next
1 of 3 adjective
: coming immediately before or following
the next page
the house next to ours
next
2 of 3 preposition(ˈ)nekst
next
3 of 3 adverbˈnekst
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
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