Synonyms of nigh

nigh 1 of 4

adjective

as in near

not being distant in time, space, or significance

the end is nigh

Synonyms & Similar Words

• near
• close
• immediate
• proximate
• nearby
• next-door
• coming
• at hand
• neighboring
• to hand
• convenient
• adjacent
• approaching
• contiguous
• abutting
• close-up
• adjoining
• forthcoming
• handy
• oncoming
• upcoming
• accessible
• bordering
• hand-to-hand
• close-in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• distant
• far
• remote
• deep
• away
• far-off
• faraway
• separated
• divorced
• removed

nigh

2 of 4

adverb

ˈnī 

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

• close
• near
• in
• nearby
• at hand
• by
• at close quarters
• hard
• around
• within call
• hereabouts
• on one's doorstep
• along
• thereabouts
• conveniently
• handily
• alongside
• hereaway
• accessibly

2

as in almost

very close to but not completely

he has nigh completed his degree

Synonyms & Similar Words

• almost
• practically
• nearly
• virtually
• fairly
• about
• most
• well-nigh
• somewhere
• pretty much
• just about
• as good as
• fair
• near
• much
• more or less
• borderline
• next to
• all but
• feckly
• mostly
• largely
• within an inch of
• somewhat
• mainly
• chiefly
• appreciably
• partially
• partly
• by and large
• kind of

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• quite
• entirely
• completely
• fully
• absolutely
• altogether
• thoroughly
• well
• wholly
• utterly
• totally
• plain
• plumb
• scarcely
• hardly
• barely

nigh

3 of 4

preposition

as in around

close to

a field nigh the church

Synonyms & Similar Words

• near
• around
• beside
• at
• by
• next door to
• across
• about
• along
• next to
• toward
• alongside
• circa

nigh

4 of 4

verb

1

as in to close

to come near or nearer

as the hour of his death was nighing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• close
• come
• near
• approach
• come up
• draw on
• arrive
• attain
• reach
• close in
• hit
• land
• belly up
• show up
• turn up
• gain
• verge
• make
• adjoin
• sneak up
• creep up
• border
• touch
• waltz (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recede
• withdraw
• retire
• retreat
• leave
• go
• back (up or away)
• depart
• remove
• quit
• exit
• take off
• pull out
• walk out
• run away
• clear out
• shove (off)
• light out

2

as in to approach

to move closer to

as the old man was nighing his hour of death

Synonyms & Similar Words

• approach
• come
• enter
• near
• advance
• drop in
• pop (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• go
• withdraw
• leave
• retreat
• depart
• recede (from)
• exit

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of nigh

Adverb

And that much looks nigh impossible given Stale Solbakken’s men won 3-0 when these teams met in Oslo back in June. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025

In some ways, coping with those contrasting styles should be nigh-on impossible. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

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