almost

1 of 2

adverb

al·​most ˈȯl-ˌmōst  ȯl-ˈmōst 

: very nearly but not exactly or entirely

We're almost there.

The work is almost done.

almost

2 of 2

adjective

: very near but not quite

an almost failure

Synonyms

Adverb

• about
• all but
• borderline
• fair [chiefly British]
• fairly
• feckly [chiefly Scottish]
• more or less
• most
• much
• near
• nearly
• next to
• nigh
• practically
• somewhere
• virtually
• well-nigh

Adjective

• approximate
• comparative
• near
• relative

Examples of almost in a Sentence

Adverb

Analysts predict that rates will rise by almost 40 percent.

Goats will eat almost anything.

Adjective

burdened with impossibly high expectations, the movie came to be regarded as an almost failure

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

And while love bombing can be seen as romantic, it is almost always followed by devaluation. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024

They are painted in almost every color—safety orange, metallic gold, deep purple—and are highly visible against the concrete floor, the omnipresent Norwegian gray. —Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 17 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Despite arguably kicking off the trend of internet shutdowns a decade ago with an almost year-long blackout in the western province of Xinjiang, China is not a frequent offender. —James Griffiths, CNN, 9 Jan. 2020

West made his triumphant return to Twitter last Friday after an almost year-long hiatus. —NBC News, 21 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English ealmǣst, from eall + mǣst most

Adjective

derivative of almost entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1529, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing almost

• almost a certainty
• almost jump out of one's skin
• almost never
• almost no
• almost nothing

Kids Definition

almost

adverb

al·​most

ˈȯl-ˌmōst,

ȯl-ˈmōst

: only a little less than : nearly

we're almost finished