First recorded in 1475–85
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Felix and his quirky next-door neighbor Marigold find a wooden box labeled “Open Me” hidden away in a closet, they discover a recording device with an intriguing auditory riddle.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
"We believe the suspects turned right after leaving the house and then ran down an alleyway beside the next-door property," Insp Dalzell said.
From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026
Phuangketkeow later told AFP that Thailand had proposed what it termed "calibrated engagement", saying the country needed to be proactive given its status as Myanmar's next-door neighbour.
From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026
Huneven’s two houses burned down, along with the home of her next-door neighbor and close friend, the Altadena historian Michele Zack.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026
“Nerves is a terrible thing. Poor Miss Annie, the next-door lady, she’s got nerves. Always screaming about Ignatius making noise.”
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
