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.
The first international break of the 2026-27 season is almost over - and it has been a longer one than fans are used to.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Hey, you’re looking at a guy that barely squeaked through high school, who doesn’t have any ability, and I lasted almost 50 years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
But the problem with Iñárritu’s approach is that he’s fashioned “Digger” as a satire for a post-satire world, a state of living where every day is almost comically bleak.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026
Thousands blocked the procession on September 27, halting the first parade which had been allowed along the route in almost three decades.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
Five minutes later, we’re almost through Arlo’s detailed play-by-play of the menu when a football flies though the kitchen window, shattering the glass.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
