The phrase next to means directly beside something or someone, with little or no space in between. If you sit next to your best friend at lunch, you're right beside them at the same table. When a book sits next to a lamp on your desk, they're side by side, touching or nearly touching.

The phrase can also mean “almost” or “nearly,” especially when talking about impossibility or difficulty. If your little brother says a math problem is next to impossible, he means it's extremely difficult, though technically not completely impossible. When someone says they finished their chores in next to no time, they mean they finished surprisingly quickly.

In comparisons, next to can mean “in comparison with.” You might feel short next to a professional basketball player, even if you're actually quite tall. A small mistake might seem like nothing next to a major disaster.

The phrase always suggests closeness or proximity, whether physical (sitting next to someone), comparative (looking small next to something huge), or figurative (accomplishing something in next to no time).