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

Her family honored her final wishes and cremated and buried her and Juan Antonio’s ashes in a plot next to her mother’s in Sabinas Hidalgo, Mexico. —Richard J. Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Nov. 2025

Deputies arrived at the scene to find a man suffering from a gunshot wound next to a car. —Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025

Adverb

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr and his wife sat with Ellison in his box, next to Paramount board member Justin Hamill and CBS CEO George Cheeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential matter. —Christopher Palmeri, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025

The 970-square-foot unit that bowed Saturday in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Center is located on the ground floor of the retail complex near the Holt Renfrew department store and next to the Gentle Monster boutique. —Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 9 Dec. 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