as in near
not being distant in time, space, or significance
the end is nigh
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in close
at, within, or to a short distance or time
have worked for them for nigh on 10 years
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in almost
very close to but not completely
he has nigh completed his degree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to close
to come near or nearer
as the hour of his death was nighing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nigh
Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
To hear the owners tell it, Rao’s—the 130–year-old Italian restaurant in New York City’s East Harlem neighborhood—was never supposed to be the kind of place where getting a table is nigh on impossible.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2026
Henry Flynn, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for nigh
Adverb
The time to choose is drawing nigh.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
To hear the owners tell it, Rao’s—the 130–year-old Italian restaurant in New York City’s East Harlem neighborhood—was never supposed to be the kind of place where getting a table is nigh on impossible.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
Typically, his charges have shown the classic mental strength to get over the line in awkward games—with opposition teams having to execute their game plan to nigh on perfection to prosper in most cases.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for nigh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nigh
Adjective
-
Gang intervention workers have been credited by city officials as one of the factors behind significant reductions in violent crime in recent years, with homicides and shootings both falling to near-historic lows.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Multiple investigations at the state and local level are underway to unravel the full cause of the near disaster.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
The Gotham Television Awards were handed out Monday night at the Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan, marking an important step as Hollywood inches closer to September’s Emmy Awards.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
2 June 2026
-
The same is true for the surprisingly large numbers of people who make and care for art while schools close and the market contracts, people whose commitments don’t align with the elite version of art, much less the pseudo-populism of America250.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adverb
-
Canfield, as proven by her work in Stereophonic, is extremely able at playing a character with a pristine, almost porcelain surface and roiling depths.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
-
More than 160 million people around the world played some form of golf in 2025, marking an almost 50% rise from 2023.—
Jack Bantock,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
Preposition
-
The airspace around St Petersburg international airport was restricted on Wednesday morning, leading to delays of around two dozen flights, the airport said in a statement.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
Meals are served around the pool or at small tables in the open-air dining room (no need to share tables with fellow safari-goers).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
In his almost but not quite valedictory acceptance speech, the 80-year-old Lithgow acknowledged that this Tony win, his third, comes 53 years after his first — and feels every bit as satisfying.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
The attack comes amid heightened security around Madison Square Garden, which lies directly above the busy intercity railroad station, where the New York Knicks are hosting the San Antonio Spurs for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Chicago police said the 27-year-old victim was walking when two armed men approached him.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
These days, living through a presidency marked by narrowness and resentment, the grace, humor, and curiosity with which Barack Obama approached the world feel impossibly distant.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
4 June 2026
Adverb
-
Set the scene This elegant sandstone tower fits right in with the neighboring skyscrapers on bustling Potsdamer Platz.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
And once bro culture seeps in, the signs are hard to ignore.—
Teresa Hopke,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Adverb
-
For the island, the wedding was both an extraordinary international showcase and an event that divided public opinion between enthusiasm for the visibility gained and criticism for a city that remained, for three days, practically off limits.—
Stefania Conrieri,
Vanity Fair,
7 June 2026
-
His band recreated practically every nuance of the original recording.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nigh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nigh. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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