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”

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

The mix of physical comedy, distant cue cards and having to keep from breaking character as cast members flopped down a set of fake stairs seemed almost too much for the guest host.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026

My hardscrabble-farm-raised parents projected a Depression-era ethos that deemed it extravagant to pay someone for tasks you knew how to do—a moral failing, almost.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Figures from Tourism NI show that in 2024 across the wider Newry, Mourne and Down council area almost 6000 jobs relied on tourism and visitors to the region spent £73.3m.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

As with almost every new Fed chair in the past half-century, Warsh may be tested by this uncertain outlook.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

But Father’s patience, his almost mystic rapport with the harmonies of watchworks, these were not things that could be taught.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

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