next to 1 of 2

Definition of next tonext
1
as in near
close to enjoys living next to the ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in after
subsequent to in time or order next to the war, the flagging economy was the biggest campaign issue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

next to

2 of 2

adverb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of next to
Preposition
In 2020, Jackson stood next to Justin Blake and his family in Kneosha just days after Jacob was shot and left paralyzed by a police officer. Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026 Kim and James Ratcliff have lived next to the property for 25 years and said that WVMA is not following the rules of its current conditional use permit. Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Drifts and snow piled next to high traffic areas causes grass to collapse and mat. Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026 Throughout the city, bare trees were weighed down with icicles and snow was piled up next to sidewalks. Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for next to
Recent Examples of Synonyms for next to
Preposition
  • However, because the 2028 Summer Olympics activities are being planned near the beach, the awards were moved to Hollywood's Palladium for the first time in 32 years.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Besides the pledge to increase defense spending, the defense chiefs said their countries are taking concrete steps to improve readiness and deterrence, with Britian building six new munitions factories and Germany repositioning troops near its eastern border.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • Carolyn Hax started her Washington Post advice column in 1997, after five years on the Style desk and none as a therapist.
    Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Hours after her post, deputies assigned to the Salton City sheriff’s station responded to a call about the discovery of human remains in Salton City.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • The majority of what remained was auctioned off by the French state in a wave of republican sentiment almost a hundred years later.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Last year was almost certainly the first year of the 21st century that preventable child mortality went up rather than down.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • Early childhood advocates were delighted when he was sworn into office seven years ago, his arms around his scene-stealing 2-year-old son.
    CalMatters, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The retail price for a standard pack of Pokémon cards is usually around $5 for 10 cards — though, much like hunting for shiny Pokémon, successfully purchasing a new pack may require some luck, strategy and patience as the cards have exploded in value in recent years.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • As of Thursday, that system still had nearly 500 outages.
    ALEX ROZIER Mississippi Today, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Guthrie lives on nearly an acre, in a brown-brick, ranch-style house with an attached garage, a short gravel driveway, and desert landscaping.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • Minnie is practically invisible to most of the students at North Little Rock High School, which is what makes her friendship with Callie — the most popular girl in her class — so special.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
  • AirEssentials Half Zip The AirEssentials line was practically made for Southern springs.
    Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • On the evening of February 18, the barely-there crescent moon will appear as a sliver just beside Mercury.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 18 Feb. 2026
  • At the fire pit, the musician Grimes sat beside Land.
    James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Preposition
  • Overwhelm, already a danger to investigators managing a complex case, isn’t helped by online conspiracy theorists and other noisemakers.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
  • After the nuptials, hundreds of dyads will renew their vows as part of Love in Times Square, a long-running tradition held by the Times Square Alliance, a neighborhood nonprofit.
    Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Next to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/next%20to. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

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