Word
nigh
US/ˈnaɪ/
UK/nˈaɪ/
Definitions
01almost or nearly
adv. almost or nearly. You usually see this in the phrase 'well-nigh'.
adv. nearly or almost; in modern usage, it is largely restricted to the fixed adverbial phrase 'well-nigh'.
“It was well-nigh impossible to finish the work on time.”
“The complexity of the legal framework made it well-nigh impossible for a layperson to navigate the proceedings without professional counsel.”
Literary
Usage
Frequently occurs in the fixed collocation 'well-nigh'.
Synonyms
02near in space or time
adj. near or close by.
adj. near in place, time, or relationship.
“The time of the festival is drawing nigh.”
“As the hour of departure drew nigh, a sense of quiet anticipation settled over the gathered crowd.”
Archaic · Literary
Usage
Commonly used with the verb 'draw' to indicate an approaching event.
Synonyms
03close to
prep. near to something.
prep. in close proximity to; near.
“The old cottage stood nigh the river bank.”
“The weary travellers sought rest in a small clearing that lay nigh the mountain pass.”
Archaic · Literary
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“A single cure for cancer is not only unlikely but nigh on impossible.” “The US vice-president recently mused with a Christian podcast host on whether the end of the world was nigh.” Etymology
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 adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/nigh