well-nigh

[ wel-nahy ]

adverb

1. very nearly; almost:

   It's well-nigh bedtime.

well-nigh

adverb

1. nearly; almost

   it's well-nigh three o'clock

Word History and Origins

Origin of well-nigh¹

before 1150; Middle English; Old English

Synonym Study

See almost.

Example Sentences

But no, it was never supposed to make serious action well nigh impossible.

From The Daily Beast

Certainly the long-term public debt would seem well-nigh unsustainable.

From The Daily Beast

The left-right dynamic in the United States has made a coherent debate well nigh impossible.

From The Daily Beast

In Ireland they have palpably and greatly benefited every class but the stockholders, and these they have well nigh ruined.

From Project Gutenberg

An' the old woman be quite crazed, an' well nigh dead wi' grief, an' has not been out o' bed for a fortnite.

From Project Gutenberg

That intrepid investigator, Bosio, was several times well nigh lost in their mysterious depths.

From Project Gutenberg

A person exceedingly hungry says, "I'm welly clem'd; I'm almost or well-nigh starved."

From Project Gutenberg

And then the young man is as inspired, and in impassioned, well-nigh extravagant language tells of his love for Mirèio.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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