almost
Americanadverb
adverb
Usage
See most.
Synonym Usage
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”
Explanation
Almost means "nearly," "roughly," or "not quite." If you're almost as tall as your brother, it means he's still just a bit taller than you are. If you almost got a great job, you came close but weren't ultimately successful, and if you're almost qualified to get your pilot's license, nobody's going to let you fly a plane quite yet. The adverb almost is perfect for describing things you come close to doing, or states you haven't yet reached. It has an Old English root, eallmæst, "nearly all," or literally, "mostly all."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He kept a towel draped over his right hand for almost the entire game to cover the black brace covering his wrist.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
An international team has demonstrated that AI can rapidly narrow an almost limitless number of possible material combinations to identify the most promising candidates.
From Science Daily • Jul. 7, 2026
"Investors are not judging the last quarter; they are judging whether the next several quarters can still exceed an earnings curve that has already been pulled almost vertically higher."
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Why one sound should seem so unbearable, yet the other almost comforting, is difficult to fully articulate or understand - but this is how he experiences life through his autism.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
I swear I can almost see myself in the reflection—me, her, the sky.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
