almost

American  

[awl-mohst, awl-mohst] / ˈɔl moʊst, ɔlˈmoʊst /

adverb

1. very nearly; all but.

   almost every house; almost the entire symphony; to pay almost nothing for a car; almost twice as many books.

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almost British  

/ ˈɔːlməʊst /

adverb

1. little short of being; very nearly

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Usage

See most.

Related Words

Almost, most, nearly, well-nigh all mean within a small degree of or short space of. Almost implies very little short of: almost exhausted; almost home. Most is colloquial for almost. Nearly implies a slightly greater distance or degree than almost : nearly well; nearly to the city. Well-nigh, a more literary word, implies a barely appreciable distance or extent: well-nigh forgotten; well-nigh home.

Etymology

Origin of almost

First recorded before 1000; Middle English almost, almast, almest, Old English eall(e) mǣst “nearly all”

Example Sentences

What is remarkable about Royal Hill is not just its size, but the fact that almost nothing was known about it until the Thais took control of it.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

“Interest rates are like gravity to almost all asset prices,” he added.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

We both use AI tools in our professional work, as does almost every lawyer, judge and executive in America.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

But now, almost a decade later, the Times looks to be relapsing into bad form.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

“Well, there is a way. The cleaning woman at the jail has a teenage son and they’ve almost picked him up twice. She’s desperate to find another place for him to live.”

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• about
• approximately
• around
• essentially
• most
• much
• practically
• relatively
• roughly
• virtually