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

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 last time we came here, I remember being camped in from almost the first minute," he said.

From BBC

"I was angry, I was upset, I was almost in denial."

From BBC

He has also conquered almost every mountain range on the West Coast.

From Los Angeles Times

For the individuals involved - with ambitions met or punctured - the overlooked, demoted or sacked almost always outnumber the elevated, smiling and promoted.

From BBC

"Saving this sum would require much more than a crackdown on waste; it would almost certainly require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services," said the IFS's Carl Emmerson.

From BBC

Related Words

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