nigh

American  

[nahy] / naɪ /

adverb

1. near in space, time, or relation.

   The time draws nigh.

2. nearly; almost; (often followed by on oronto ).

   nigh onto twenty years.

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adjective

nigher, nighest

1. near; approaching.

   Evening is nigh.

2. short or direct.

   to take the nighest route.

3. (of an animal or vehicle) being on the left side.

   to be astride the nigh horse.

4. Archaic. parsimonious; stingy.

preposition

1. near.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Archaic. to approach.

nigh British  

/ naɪ /

adjective

1. an archaic, poetic, or dialect word for near

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Other Word Forms

• unnigh
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of nigh

before 900; Middle English nigh ( e ), neye, Old English nēah, nēh, cognate with Dutch na, German nahe, Old Norse nā-, Gothic nehw, nehwa; cf. near, next

Explanation

Nigh is an old-fashioned word that can be used as an adjective or adverb to mean near or nearly. Something that is nigh impossible — like knitting a sweater in one night — will be very difficult to accomplish. As an adjective, nigh is an older form of the word "near," both of which are rooted in the Old English word neah. People like to use the word nigh when they talk about the apocalypse: "Repent! The end is nigh." It's most common to use nigh today when you're trying to sound poetic or referencing the archaic or biblical uses of the word.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nigh nigher nighest

You know the end of summer is nigh when Vail Resorts announces opening dates for its ski resorts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Now that the Champions League loot may be nigh we will get to see the scale of Celtic's ambition.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

After another long stretch of unrelenting news, the weekend is finally nigh.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

Pancaking is when a female eagle lies down flat in the bowl of the nest to test and shape it — and can signal eggs are nigh.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026

I drew nigh and planted the kitten on the table beside her.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

Or the end of the Anthropocene might be nigher than you think.

From New York Times ● Apr. 25, 2022

“That’s nigher where it is,” said Joe; “she ain’t living.”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Heed not the starveling crew, who hang Upon the blue Ohio, A craven heart each traitor bears, And dare not venture nigher.

From Songs and Ballads of the Southern People 1861-1865 by Anonymous

At last one overstretched chord of her agony slacked; she thought Something above relented; she felt as if Something far round drew nigher; she heard as if Silence spoke.

From Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

There's no doctor nigher than Hazelmere, and I ain't goin' there.

From The Broom-Squire by S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

King Harald’s son Magnus steered the ship which lay lowest in the river-mouth and nighest out to the lake.

From The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade) by Ethel Harriet Hearn

When it was fallen into decay, many folk of the lands and islands that were nighest thereunto marvel them what may be in this manor.

From The High History of the Holy Graal by Sebastian Evans

But mid the thicket places there by nighest road they pass Unto their end in weed of war: with shout and serried band The clattering hooves of four-foot things shake down the dusty land.

From The Æneids of Virgil Done into English Verse by William Morris

He draweth toward his land the nighest he may, and hath won back the kingdom of Oriande all at his will.

From The High History of the Holy Graal by Sebastian Evans

Petronella, I will tomorrow to the village nighest at hand, whilst thou dost rest up in yon tree out of the way of all harm, where I have prepared a place of comfort.

From The Lost Treasure of Trevlyn A Story of the Days of the Gunpowder Plot by Evelyn Everett-Green