at close quarters

idiom

: from a short distance
We were able to observe their behavior at close quarters.

Examples of at close quarters in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Tuberculosis, spread by air, is not as contagious as COVID-19, and no risk of transmission exists unless people are exposed to an infected patient, especially in closed spaces or at close quarters, by breathing the same air. Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025 The team's findings indicate that the victims were killed at close quarters with blunt instruments, before being systematically dismembered, butchered, and possibly partly consumed. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At close quarters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20close%20quarters. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on at close quarters

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!