1
: greatest in quantity, extent, or degree
the most ability
2
: the majority of
most people
1
: to the greatest or highest degree
—often used with an adjective or adverb to form the superlative
the most challenging job he ever had
2
: to a very great degree
was most persuasive
: the greatest amount
it's the most I can do
singular or plural in construction
: the greatest number or part
most become discouraged and quit
: almost
we'll be crossing the river most any time now—
Hamilton Basso
Hamilton Basso
Can most be used in place of almost?: Usage Guide
Although considered by some to be unacceptable in all cases, most is often used to mean "almost" in both spoken and, to a lesser extent, written English to modify the adjectives all, every, and any; the pronouns all, everyone, everything, everybody, anyone, anything, and anybody; and the adverbs everywhere, anywhere, and always. Other uses of this sense of most are dialectal.
: most
innermost
: most toward
headmost
Synonyms
Adjective
Adverb (1)
- achingly
- almighty
- archly
- awful
- awfully
- badly
- beastly
- blisteringly
- bone
- colossally
- corking
- cracking
- damn
- damned
- dang
- deadly
- desperately
- eminently
- enormously
- especially
- ever
- exceedingly
- exceeding
- extra
- extremely
- fabulously
- fantastically
- far
- fiercely
- filthy
- frightfully
- full
- greatly
- heavily
- highly
- hugely
- immensely
- incredibly
- intensely
- jolly
- majorly
- mightily
- mighty
- monstrous [chiefly dialect]
- mortally
- much
- particularly
- passing
- rattling
- real
- really
- right
- roaring
- roaringly
- seriously
- severely
- so
- sore
- sorely
- spanking
- specially
- stinking
- such
- super
- supremely
- surpassingly
- terribly
- that
- thumping
- too
- unco
- uncommonly
- vastly
- very
- vitally
- way
- whacking
- wicked
- wildly
Noun
Adverb (2)
Examples of most in a Sentence
Adjective
Choosing a color took the most time.
That family owned the most land.
Unfortunately the negative aspects of our schools get the most attention.
Adverb (1)
a most careful driver, especially in bad weather
Noun
this room will accommodate 50 people at the most
Adverb (2)
the cost of most everything is higher nowadays
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Given the runup in home prices since 2013, most sellers should have enough equity to cover replacement costs by deducting those from the sales price.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Erin Strout, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
In their most recent game, a blowout loss to the Knicks, Warriors castoff Ryan Rollins played 12 minutes.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for most 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
If the question is asked in a friendly way, most people will answer in the same vein.
—Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Given the runup in home prices since 2013, most sellers should have enough equity to cover replacement costs by deducting those from the sales price.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Adverb
But most often Sedona is my wintertime weekend trail running refuge—when the snow dumps in Flagstaff, I’m guaranteed a clear path, warmer temperatures (averaging around 60 degrees), and sunshine in the red rock valley below.
—Erin Strout, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
In their most recent game, a blowout loss to the Knicks, Warriors castoff Ryan Rollins played 12 minutes.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for most
Dictionary Entries Near most
Cite this Entry
“Most.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/most. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
most
1 of 5 adjective1
: the majority of
most people believe this
2
: greatest in amount or extent
the most ability
most
2 of 5 adverb1
: to the greatest or highest level or extent
—often used with an adjective or adverb to form the superlative
most active
most actively
2
: to a very great extent
a most careful driver
most
3 of 5 noun
: the greatest amount, number, or part
most
4 of 5 adverb
: almost
the cost of most everything is higher
-most
5 of 5 adjective suffixˌmōst
: most
innermost
Etymology
Adjective suffix
Middle English -most "most"
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