next

1 of 4

adjective

1
: immediately adjacent (as in place, rank, or time)
2
: any other considered hypothetically
knew it as well as the next man

see also next to nothing

next

2 of 4

preposition

: nearest or adjacent to

next

3 of 4

adverb

1
: in the time, place, or order nearest or immediately succeeding
next we drove home
the next closest school
2
: on the first occasion to come
when next we meet

next

4 of 4

noun

: one that is next
from one day to the next

Examples of next in a Sentence

Adjective I'll see you next Monday. Next year's party will be even better. the very next thing that happened Can I help the next person in line? Who's next? We could hear people talking in the next room. At the next set of lights, turn left. I need the next size up. The next time we will see each other will be on our wedding day. Next time, please remember to bring your books to class. She knew the answer as well as the next person. Adverb Next, I need to ask you a few questions about your family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The package includes $48.7 million allocated for the next fiscal year, targeting film exports, video game startups, grassroots music venues, and creative enterprises outside London. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025 It is expected to have similar performance to the Polestar 5, and a version called the LA Concept edition has already sold out, with a standard version due to follow when production begins next year. Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Preposition
The team is planning more excavations next year, Betzenhauser said, as well as a geophysical survey, which measures magnetic differences in soil, and ground-penetrating radar. Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2025 Arctic air will descend on the U.S. this weekend, bringing frigid temperatures next week. Ian Prasad Philbrick, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Adverb
Nick Miller has been trying to work out what Neymar does next. Phil Hay, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025 Up next: There are no major earnings Tuesday after the closing bell. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
One sport to the next sees what the other has done and wants some of the same stuff. Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas News, 8 Mar. 2023 So bouncing from one tone and genre to the next creates a whiplash effect, even though some of the episodes — that fourth one in particular — are quite good. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for next 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English nīehst, superlative of nēah nigh — more at nigh

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of next was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near next

Cite this Entry

“Next.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/next. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

next

1 of 3 adjective
: coming immediately before or following
the next page
the house next to ours

next

2 of 3 preposition
(ˈ)nekst

next

3 of 3 adverb
ˈnekst
1
: in the nearest time, place, or order following
open this package next
2
: at the first time to come after this
when next we meet

More from Merriam-Webster on next

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!