Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Nigh

//naɪ// adj, adv, name, prep, verb

Definitions

Adjective

1
Near, close by. archaic, poetic
"The end is nigh!"
2
Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
"Ye […] are made nigh by the blood of Christ."

Adjective

1
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances wordnet
2
being on the left side wordnet

Adverb

1
Almost, nearly. not-comparable
"So, after a spell, he decided to make the best of it and shoved us into the front parlor.[…]It looked like a tomb and smelt pretty nigh as musty and dead-and-gone."

Adverb

1
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but wordnet
2
near in time or place or relationship wordnet

Proper Noun

1
A surname.; A surname from Middle English
2
A surname.; A surname from German

Preposition

1
near; close to
"When the Moon is horned […] is it not ever nigh the Sun?"

Verb

1
to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near ambitransitive
"When the charnel-eyed Pale Horse has nighed"

Etymology

Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- Proto-Germanic *nēhwazder. Proto-Germanic *nēhw Proto-West Germanic *nāhw Old English nēah Middle English neygh English nigh Inherited from Middle English neygh, from Old English nēah, from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw, from *nēhwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

Etymology 5

* As an English surname, variant of Nye. * As a German surname, probably Americanized from Neu, Ney.

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: nigh