close 1 of 5

adjective

ˈklōs How to pronounce close (audio)
Definition of closenext
1
as in crowded
having little space between items or parts the soldiers marched in close formation against the enemy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in near
not being distant in time, space, or significance my birthday is close to Christmas a shopping mall that is very close to the highway these words are close synonyms

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors the election results were so close that the votes had to be recounted

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in intimate
closely acquainted a small wedding ceremony that was limited to close friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge she was as close as a stone when it came to talking about her love life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible the kind of folks who are very close when charity calls

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in breathless
lacking fresh air a small room with an uncomfortably close atmosphere

Synonyms & Similar Words

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8
as in accurate
meeting the highest standard of accuracy a close analysis of the box-office performance of action movies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

close

2 of 5

verb

ˈklōz How to pronounce close (audio)
1
as in to shut
to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening be sure to close the gate when you leave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to close (down)
to stop the operations of the merchant will close the store if business doesn't improve

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3
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we'll close the assembly with the singing of our national anthem

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4
as in to stop
to come to an end the services closed with a short prayer

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5
as in to come
to come near or nearer the two groups closed with each other from opposite sides of the field

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close

3 of 5

adverb

ˈklōs How to pronounce close (audio)
as in in
at, within, or to a short distance or time the stranded passengers drew close for reassurance

Synonyms & Similar Words

close

4 of 5

noun (1)

ˈklōs How to pronounce close (audio)
as in courtyard
an open space wholly or partly enclosed (as by buildings or walls) a garden in a close at the center of the complex

Synonyms & Similar Words

close

5 of 5

noun (2)

ˈklōz How to pronounce close (audio)
1
as in ending
the stopping of a process or activity at the close of the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conclusion
the last part of a process or action managed to conduct the negotiations to a satisfactory close

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective close contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of close are miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When can miserly be used instead of close?

The synonyms miserly and close are sometimes interchangeable, but miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would niggardly be a reasonable alternative to close?

Although the words niggardly and close have much in common, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

In what contexts can parsimonious take the place of close?

While in some cases nearly identical to close, parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When is it sensible to use penurious instead of close?

The meanings of penurious and close largely overlap; however, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When could stingy be used to replace close?

In some situations, the words stingy and close are roughly equivalent. However, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

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 close
Adjective
Famous detective Sherlock Holmes faces a case where the lives of his closest friends are at risk. — Devonne Goode, Parents, 17 Apr. 2025 And Amanda Marsalis and April Blair are some of my closest friends now. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
Shares of Peabody Energy—the largest U.S. coal producer, responsible for mining over 104,000 short tons in 2023—closed up 9.21% last Tuesday. — Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Fortunately for the Warriors, not many teams have the same arsenal as the Clippers, who closed the season winning 18 of their last 21. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Arlington is close behind and commands a second-place spot with a 9-3 record. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2025 Sarasota County saw a 7% decline over the past year, with Manatee close behind at 5%, according to the latest data from Zillow Home Value Index. — Derek Gilliam, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
The tariff announcement kicked off a breathtaking plunge in the U.S. stock market, and by close of trading Thursday afternoon the prices of Apple and Meta stock had plummeted 9%, and Santa Clara computer chip titan Nvidia was down nearly 8%. — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025 Shares of Boeing Company were slightly higher at the close after CEO Kelly Ortberg faced a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on safety concerns. — Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
  1. crowded
  2. near
  3. narrow
  4. intimate
  5. silent
  6. careful
  7. breathless
  8. accurate
Adjective
  • In that crowded class of prospects, each star had his own identity.
    — D. Watkins, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
  • As tensions threaten to turn to violence in the crowded train car, the officer arrives.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of crowded
Adjective
  • To find the nearest Crumbl store near you, visit crumblcookies.com/stores.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Tyler Stephenson is set to return for the Reds in the near future and Cincinnati recently locked up Trevino to a multi-year deal.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of near
Adjective
  • The narrow five-game spread between the top and bottom performers illustrates the relative consistency in baseline predictive ability.
    — Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • This would seemingly narrow season 4's destinations down to... Will There Be a Season 4 of The White Lotus?
    — Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • Maddox found relief through photography and writing, including Motherhood: The Thread That Holds Us Together, a portrait study capturing the raw, vulnerable, and intimate moments of the motherhood journey that aren’t often seen, to combat isolation.
    — Essence, Essence, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The shows are produced by both Audible and Together, a new company that Jackman and producer Sonia Friedman launched to create intimate and accessible live theater.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of intimate
Adjective
  • So far, the ESA has been silent on Trump excluding video game consoles from his tariff exemptions.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The Taliban are also silent on the other restrictions and whether there is any chance of removing them.
    — Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of silent
Adjective
  • These concerns underscore the need for careful consideration of privacy rights when deploying such technology.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The meticulous breeding and careful selection that produced such extraordinary specimens highlight the craftsmanship and expertise defining today’s koi industry.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.
    — Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.
    — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011
Definition of breathless
Adjective
  • But the ability to navigate this uncertainty depends on high-quality, accurate data—particularly supplier master data—which is easier said than done.
    — Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Garland handed the character work of directing to Mendoza to honor the project’s one abiding rule: sticking without exception to an utterly accurate recounting.
    — Fred Schruers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of accurate

Phrases Containing close

Browse Nearby Words

clops
close
close call
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Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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