most 1 of 4

adverb (1)

Definition of mostnext
as in extremely
to a great degree a most careful driver, especially in bad weather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

most

2 of 4

adverb (2)

as in almost
very close to but not completely the cost of most everything is higher nowadays

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

most

3 of 4

adjective

ˈmōst How to pronounce most (audio)
as in maximum
of the greatest or highest degree or quantity the player with the most ability on the tennis team

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

most

4 of 4

noun

as in best
the greatest amount, number, or part this room will accommodate 50 people at the most

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of most
Adverb
Cartoonists on Dolly Parton's life and legacy Join 350,000+ subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 29 Aug. 2026 Getting singled out by Sacha Baron Cohen‘s most infamous character turned out to be good publicity, not an insult, for Ed Sheeran. — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 29 Aug. 2026
Adjective
In 2000, Curtis Jones suffered catastrophic burns over most of his body when an explosion occurred at his workplace. — Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Texans have always seemed to relish their otherness, maybe even more so now that, in our age of globalization, so much sameness has infiltrated most American and international cities. — Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for most
Recent Examples of Synonyms for most
  1. extremely
  2. almost
  3. maximum
  4. very
  5. nearly
  6. utmost
  7. incredibly
  8. practically
Adverb
  • This pre-seasoned, ¼ inch thick steel heat extremely evenly with minimal disparity between the center and edges.
    — Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Search for jet quenching Previous experiments suggest that a millionth of a second after the Big Bang, even as temperatures remained extremely high, matter did not behave like gas but instead like liquid with very low viscosity.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of extremely
Adverb
  • But the franchise — Oren Peli’s indie film was originally shot in 2006 for $15,000 and brought in almost $200 million — comes with its own young evergreen fan base.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Extensive coastal flooding is almost guaranteed, scientists say.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of almost
Adjective
  • And as the rapturous applause and screaming showed, such stealthy-chic designs, with small details and a sharp silhouette, still have maximum impact.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The table below includes maximum DTI limits and minimum credit score requirements for all of the loan products Rocket Mortgage offers.
    — Dan Simms, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of maximum
Adverb
  • The Fed chairman, who took office in May for a four-year term, has so far shared very little commentary on the state of the economy or policy outlook.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • With Adults, being funny is what matters most, and in that regard, this is a very promising premiere.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of very
Adverb
  • This also includes the largest American variant, the western mastiff, with a wingspan of nearly two feet, and the smallest, the thumb-sized, nickel-weighing western pipistrelle, also called the canyon bat.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In a Facebook post with nearly 500 likes and 40 comments as of Friday afternoon, the Gagnons spoke about their experience establishing the brewery and its part in the local community.
    — John Magsam, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nearly
Adjective
  • Her reputation for excellence and the utmost integrity is well earned.
    — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And this big step forward in this fix is critical, as these antennae help to connect the space station to Earth, which is of the utmost importance.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of utmost
Adverb
  • This 30-percent-off New Balance pair is incredibly versatile and goes with anything.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In fact, bets on whether people would live or die were incredibly popular.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of incredibly
Adverb
  • This $6 high-neck tank is a layering staple (under a polka-dot cardigan, perhaps), while this chambray button-down is practically begging to be worn at the pumpkin patch.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Yet, in her relatively short career, practically every accomplishment of Eala’s comes with a historic superlative.
    — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of practically

Browse Nearby Words

mossy
most
mostly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Most.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/most. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on most

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about most

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All