next

1 of 4

adjective

ˈnekst How to pronounce next (audio)
Synonyms of next
1
: immediately adjacent (as in place, rank, or time)
2
: any other considered hypothetically
knew it as well as the next man
see also:
next to nothing

next

2 of 4

preposition

: nearest or adjacent to

next

3 of 4

adverb

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

next

4 of 4

noun

: one that is next
from one day to the next

Synonyms of next

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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.
Adjective
Hudson Williams’ next turn The next big thing in-the-making is Yaga, which features Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams alongside Carrie-Anne Moss in a witchy folklore drama set in a coastal town called Whittock. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 Over the next few years, the team studied patients who decided against surgery with Natera’s assay and ultrasound imaging. — Allessandra Dicorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Preposition
Student and teacher unions have called for another round of nationwide school strikes next Tuesday. — Makini Brice, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026 If that proves to be the case, the party would hold between 224 and 234 seats next Congress. — Mariana Alfaro, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Colleges must remember that they have been set up to provide people with an education that stretches their cognitive abilities while preparing them for whatever comes next. — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 The mega-success of Heated Rivalry has buyers asking what is coming next from Crave, the Canadian streamer that greenlit the ice hockey romance hit. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
Then a decision on what to do next will be made in conjunction with the medical experts and Dart. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026 When so many pieces of New York have been relentlessly framed as an out-of-towner’s idea of themselves, Murray Hill just keeps being its everyday nail-salon-next-to-a-weed-shop self. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for next

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English nīehst, superlative of nēah nigh — more at nigh

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of next was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing next

Rhymes for next

See All Rhymes for next

Browse Nearby Words

nexal
next
next best
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Next.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/next. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

next

1 of 3 adjective
ˈnekst How to pronounce next (audio)
: coming immediately before or following
the next page
the house next to ours

next

2 of 3 preposition
(ˈ)nekst
: next to entry 1

next

3 of 3 adverb
ˈnekst
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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