# almost

/ˈɔɫˌmoʊst/ (US) · /ˈɔːlməʊst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/almost
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. nearly

adverb · CEFR A2

very close to a certain amount, time, or state, but not quite there.

For teachers: nearly or all but; indicates a state that falls just short of completion or absolute truth.

- It was almost midnight by the time we finally got home.
- The project was almost complete when the sudden withdrawal of funding forced the team to halt all operations indefinitely.

Usage: Usually placed before the word it modifies, such as a verb, adjective, or number.

### 2. mathematical approximation

adverb · CEFR C1 · Technical

used in math to say something is true for nearly every part of a group.

For teachers: describes a property that holds for all elements of a set except for a subset of measure zero.

- The two functions are almost equal across the entire range.
- In measure theory, we say a property holds almost everywhere if the set of points where it fails has a measure of zero.

Usage: Often appears in the phrase 'almost everywhere' or 'almost surely'.

### 3. a near success

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

something that nearly succeeded but failed at the last moment.

For teachers: an instance or entity that falls just short of a goal or a specific classification.

- The movie was an almost—it had great acting but a weak ending.
- His career was a series of almosts, characterized by brilliant starts that never quite culminated in a major championship title.

## Examples

- I am almost finished with my homework.
- The project is almost complete, but we still need to sign the final documents tomorrow morning.
- While the two chemical compounds appear almost identical under a standard microscope, their molecular structures reveal significant differences that affect how they react with oxygen.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.