Next means coming immediately after something else in time, order, or position. When your teacher says “You're next,” you're the person who will go after whoever is currently taking their turn. When you finish reading one chapter in a book, the next chapter is the one that follows.

The word helps us organize time and sequence. On Monday, the next day is Tuesday. If you're standing third in line, the person in front of you is next, and you'll be next after them. When someone says “What's next?” they're asking what should happen after the current activity finishes.

Next can also mean the nearest or closest. If you need a pencil, you might borrow one from the student sitting next to you. A traveler might ask “Where's the next gas station?” meaning the closest one ahead on the road.

The word appears in many common phrases. “Next time” refers to the future occasion when something happens again. “The next best thing” means the second-best option when you can't have your first choice. When someone says “Next!” at a ticket counter or doctor's office, they're calling forward whoever should come after the person they just finished helping.