almost

[ awl-mohst, awl-mohst ]

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.

almost

/ ˈɔːlməʊst /

adverb

1. little short of being; very nearly

Usage Note

See most.

Word History and Origins

Origin of almost¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English almost, almast, almest, Old English eall(e) mǣst “nearly all”

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

The Georgian piece contains about 500 diamonds and was bought for almost double the amount estimated by Sotheby's auction house.

From BBC

However the letter stated that Waring's release date has been brought forward almost a year, from September 2027 to the week commencing 11 October 2026.

From BBC

Almost three quarters of universities in England will face financial problems next year - despite tuition fees increasing, the BBC has been told.

From BBC

Almost everyone I spoke with placed the blame on immigrants, holding the view, as Crusius did, that dark-skinned people from the global south are surging northward to overwhelm white Christians, what’s become known as the “great replacement theory.”

From Salon

John Tanton grew up as an all-American farm boy in an almost mythologically quaint version of America.

From Salon

Related Words

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