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next to
/nɛkst tuː/
immediately beside or adjacent to
She sat next to me at the concert.
She was immediately beside me at the concert.
formalinformal
immediately beside or adjacent to something or someone
The store is next to the bank.
The store is immediately beside the bank.
He placed his bag next to the door.
He put his bag immediately beside the door.
Can also imply close proximity without physical contact.
Collocations
sit next toto sit immediately beside someonestand next toto stand immediately beside someoneplace next toto put something immediately beside something else
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Physical vs. Metaphorical Use
'Next to' is often used for physical proximity, but can also describe closeness in time or sequence, e.g., 'The meeting is next to the last one of the day.'
Gold Rule
Avoid Redundancy
Do not use 'next to' with words like 'immediately' or 'right', as it already implies closeness, e.g., 'right next to' is redundant.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'nexte to', meaning 'immediately beside'.
Usage Notes
Often used to describe physical proximity, but can also imply metaphorical closeness in time or sequence.
Word Breakdown
next
immediately following in time or position
rootto
indicates direction or position
prepositionEnglish Dictionary