Meanings
nounthe next best thing (plural the next best things)
plural the next best things
- A suitable replacement (when the ideal thing is not available)
Cite this entry
APA
the next best thing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20next%20best%20thing
MLA
“the next best thing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20next%20best%20thing. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the next best thing,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20next%20best%20thing.
Source: the next best thing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.