From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe next best thingthe next best thingLIKE/SIMILARsomething that is not exactly what you want but is as similar to it as possible If sterile equipment isn’t available, the next best thing is to clean equipment with disinfectant. → best
Examples from the Corpus
the next best thing• If I can't be home for Christmas, this is the next best thing.• He can't ask them, so he is doing the next best thing.• We went to the bookshelves to find the next best thing.• We do, however, have the next best thing: a place to go for more information.• The room is the next best thing to being outside.• Video may seem like the next best thing to being there, but electronically mediated interactions are different from real-life meetings.• It is the next best thing to crossing the deserts of the world oneself.• I guess they figured calling their game Arnie was the next best thing to having a blockbusting movie title.• The new switch is the next best thing we could do to moving.the next best thingthe next best thingthe thing or situation that is almost as good as the one you really want If I can’t be home for Christmas, phoning you on the day is the next best thing. → nextExamples from the Corpus
the next best thing• He can't ask them, so he is doing the next best thing.• We went to the bookshelves to find the next best thing.• We do, however, have the next best thing: a place to go for more information.• The room is the next best thing to being outside.• Video may seem like the next best thing to being there, but electronically mediated interactions are different from real-life meetings.• It is the next best thing to crossing the deserts of the world oneself.• I guess they figured calling their game Arnie was the next best thing to having a blockbusting movie title.• The new switch is the next best thing we could do to moving. 