nigh

nigh — adverb

1. at a short distance from a place or a short time before an event; close by in sp

1.adverbB2
Definition

at a short distance from a place or a short time before an event; close by in space or impending in time — used mainly in literary or formal contexts as a more poetic alternative to 'near'.

Example

Élise stood on the cliff's edge, knowing the sea was nigh.

archaic adverb for 'near' after a copular verb

As winter drew nigh, the villagers stored firewood and grain.

draw nigh — literary collocation for time approaching

Common collocations
  • draw nigh
  • nigh on
  • be nigh
Synonyms
  • near

    the standard modern equivalent; nigh is far less common

  • close

    emphasises short physical distance; more neutral in register

  • at hand

    a slightly formal phrase meaning 'close in time or place'

Antonyms
  • far

    distant in space or time

Grammar Patterns

nigh + noun phrase (prepositional use)

draw nigh

Usage Note

In modern English, 'near' has almost entirely replaced 'nigh' in this sense. The word survives in fixed literary phrases such as 'draw nigh' (approach) and 'nigh on' (almost).

Common Mistakes

The store is nigh my house.
The store is near my house.
In everyday speech, use 'near', not 'nigh', which sounds unnatural in casual contexts.

2. to a degree that falls just short of a state or amount; very nearly — used in th

2.adverbB2
Definition

to a degree that falls just short of a state or amount; very nearly — used in the fixed phrase 'nigh on' (or 'nigh onto') to mean 'almost' when describing quantities, durations, or conditions.

Example

It has been nigh on forty years since the old mill closed.

nigh on + quantity phrase

The rescue team worked for nigh on three days without rest.

Common collocations
  • nigh on
  • nigh onto
  • nigh impossible
Synonyms
  • almost

    the everyday equivalent; much more common

  • nearly

    standard synonym; replaces 'nigh on' in all modern contexts

  • all but

    a slightly formal phrase; emphasises the small gap to completion

Grammar Patterns

nigh on + number/time phrase

nigh + adjective

Usage Note

In this sense 'nigh' is almost always followed by 'on' (or 'onto') before a number or time phrase. Without 'on', it occurs before adjectives like 'impossible', 'certain', 'exhausted' — but this is very rare today.

Common Mistakes

I nigh finished the book.
I nigh on finished the book.
'Nigh' alone cannot modify a verb in this way; use 'nigh on' before the verb phrase or 'almost'.

nigh — adjective

nigh — preposition

nigh — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

All four expressions describe something falling just short of completion, but they differ in register and syntax. 'Almost' is the neutral, everyday choice — it works in any context ('She almost cried'). 'Nearly' is very similar but slightly more common with measurements ('nearly ten years') and tends to feel more factual. 'Nigh on' is distinctly literary or archaic; a writer who uses it signals deliberate formality, often with numbers or durations ('nigh on fifty guests'). 'All but' carries a stronger sense of 'everything except the final step' and pairs naturally with past participles ('the task was all but finished'). In modern writing, 'almost' or 'nearly' will always be the safer choice; reserve 'nigh on' for historical or poetic texts.

nigh onalmost ↗nearly ↗all but

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • nigh on
  • nigh onto

Phrases

  • draw nigh
  • nigh on
  • the nigh side

Prepositions

  • nigh (as preposition)

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Nigh' comes from Old English 'nēah' (near), related to Old Saxon 'nāh', Old High German 'nāh' (modern German 'nah'), and Old Norse 'nā-' — all pointing to a Proto-Germanic root *nēhwa- meaning 'close, near'. In Old English, it existed as a full adjective/adverb/preposition system with comparative 'nīerra' (nearer) and superlative 'nīehsta' (nearest), from which we get modern 'next' (originally the superlative of 'nigh'). The word was the standard English term for 'near' through the Middle English period, but from the 13th century onward the form 'near' (originally the comparative 'nearer') gradually took over the positive sense, pushing 'nigh' into literary and dialectal use.