next to
"next-to" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“next to” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a preposition - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Beside, alongside, by, adjacent to, or near.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | next to |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Preposition |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “next to” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for next to is 7 letters long, classified as a preposition. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for next to, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct English form is next to, spelled N-E-X-T- -T-O.
Definition
- 1Beside, alongside, by, adjacent to, or near.
- 2Immediately after, in choice or consideration; aside from.
- 3Compared to, in comparison with.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "next to"?
What does "next to" mean?
What language does "next to" come from?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “next to”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is N-E-X-T- -T-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.