Close vs. Closer — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 23, 2024
"Close" is an adjective or adverb describing proximity or completeness, while "closer" is the comparative form of "close," indicating a greater degree of proximity or nearness.
Difference Between Close and Closer
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
As an adjective, "close" describes something that is near in distance or time, or refers to the idea of being narrowly confined or intimate, such as a close friendship. On the other hand, "closer" is used to compare two elements, suggesting that one is nearer than the other, as in "come closer."
When used as an adverb, "close" implies something done with very little space or margin, like shutting a door close. Whereas "closer" as an adverb, implies moving nearer to a specific point or goal, enhancing the comparative aspect of proximity, such as finishing a task closer to the deadline.
"Close" can also mean the end or conclusion of an event or period, such as the close of the day. Meanwhile, "closer" does not typically convey this meaning; instead, it focuses on the comparative aspect of drawing nearer to an endpoint or goal.
In terms of phonetic usage, "close" can vary in pronunciation based on its use; as a verb or adjective, it’s often pronounced with a soft "s" sound (klōs), and as a noun, with a z sound (klōz). "Closer," regardless of its function, maintains the soft "s" sound (klō-sər).
The flexibility of "close" allows it to be used in a broader range of contexts, covering physical proximity, relationships, or the completion of events. "Closer," however, is primarily used to describe comparative physical distance or advancement towards a goal, not typically used in the context of relationships or time.
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Comparison Chart
Function
Adjective, adverb, noun, verb
Comparative form of the adjective/adverb "close"
Meaning
Proximity, end, intimacy
More near in comparison to another object or state
Usage in Time
Can describe both proximity and conclusion
Primarily used for proximity
Pronunciation
Varies (klōs for verb/adjective, klōz for noun)
Consistent (klō-sər)
Common Uses
"Stay close," "close the door," "at the close of day"
"Come closer," "a closer look"
Compare with Definitions
Close
Near in space or time.
We live very close to the park.
Closer
Comparatively nearer to achieving a goal.
We are closer to completing the project than last month.
Close
Intimately familiar or confidential.
They have a close relationship.
Closer
Used in physical positioning.
Draw closer to the fire to keep warm.
Close
Final or concluding.
The close of the meeting was abrupt.
Closer
Enhancing intimacy or detail.
They grew closer over the course of the trip.
Close
With little or no space in between; tightly packed.
The books were stacked close together.
Closer
More near in space or time compared to something else.
Move the chair closer to the table.
Close
Shutting something so as to cover an opening.
Please close the door quietly.
Closer
Used to indicate a lesser distance.
As the deadline gets closer, the team works harder.
Close
Only a short distance away or apart in space or time
Her birthday and mine were close together
The hotel is close to the sea
Why don't we go straight to the shops, as we're so close?
Closer
One that closes
The closer of the shop has to lock up.
Close
Denoting a family member who is part of a person's immediate family, typically a parent or sibling
The family history of cancer in close relatives
Closer
(Baseball) A relief pitcher called upon to protect a lead late in a game.
Close
(of observation, examination, etc.) done in a careful and thorough way
Pay close attention to what your body is telling you about yourself
Closer
Someone or something that closes.
In our organization, the VP of Sales usually acts as the closer.
Close
Uncomfortably humid or airless
It was very close in the dressing room
A close, hazy day
Closer
Someone or something that concludes.
The DJ chose a fantastic track as his closer at the end of the night.
Close
Another term for high (sense 7 of the adjective)
Closer
(sales) close
Close
Very near to someone or something; with very little space between
He was holding her close
They stood close to the door
Closer
The last stone in a horizontal course, if smaller than the others; a piece of brick finishing a course.
Close
A residential street without through access
She lives at 12 Goodwood Close
Closer
(baseball) A relief pitcher who specializes in getting the last three outs of the game. See Wikipedia:closer (baseball)
They brought their closer in for the ninth.
Close
The end of an event or of a period of time or activity
The afternoon drew to a close
The seminar was brought to a close with a discussion of future trends
Closer
One who, or that which, closes; specifically, a boot closer. See under Boot.
Close
The shutting of something, especially a door
The door jerked to a close behind them
Closer
A finisher; that which finishes or terminates.
Close
Move so as to cover an opening
She jumped on to the train just as the doors were closing
They had to close the window because of the insects
She closed the door quietly
I kept closing my eyes and nodding off
Closer
The last stone in a horizontal course, if of a less size than the others, or a piece of brick finishing a course.
Close
Bring or come to an end
The concert closed with ‘Silent Night’
The members were thanked for attending and the meeting was closed
Closer
A person who closes something;
Whoever is the closer has to turn out the lights and lock up
Close
(of a business, organization, or institution) cease to be in operation or accessible to the public, either permanently or at the end of a working day or other period of time
A hoax call which closed the city's stations for 4 hours
The factory is to close with the loss of 150 jobs
Closer
(baseball) a relief pitcher who can protect a lead in the last inning or two of the game
Close
Gradually get nearer to someone or something
He tried to walk faster, but each time the man closed up on him again
They plotted a large group of aircraft about 130 miles away and closing fast
Closer
(comparative of `near' or `close') within a shorter distance;
Come closer, my dear!
They drew nearer
Getting nearer to the true explanation
Close
Being near in space or time. See Usage Note at redundancy.
Close
Being near in relationship
Close relatives.
Close
Bound by mutual interests, loyalties, or affections; intimate
Close friends.
Close
Having little or no space between elements or parts; tight and compact
A close weave.
Close
Being near the surface; short
A close haircut.
Close
Being on the brink of
Close to tears.
Close
Decided by a narrow margin; almost even
A close election.
Close
Faithful to the original
A close copy.
Close
Very attentive; rigorous; thorough
A close reading.
Close supervision.
Close
Shut; closed.
Close
Shut in; enclosed.
Close
Confining or narrow; crowded
Close quarters.
Close
Fitting tightly
Close garments.
Close
Warm and humid or stuffy
Close weather.
A close room.
Close
Confined to specific persons or groups
A close secret.
Close
Strictly confined or guarded
Kept under close custody.
Close
Secretive; reticent
Was close about her personal life.
Close
Giving or spending with reluctance; stingy
He is known to be close with his money.
Close
Not easily acquired; scarce
Money was close.
Close
(Linguistics) Pronounced with the tongue near the palate, as the ee in meet. Used of vowels.
Close
Marked by more rather than less punctuation, especially commas.
Close
To move (a door, for example) so that an opening or passage is covered or obstructed; shut.
Close
To bar access to
Closed the road for repairs.
Close
To fill or stop up
Closed the cracks with plaster.
Close
To stop the operations of permanently or temporarily
Closed down the factory.
Close
To make unavailable for use
Closed the area to development.
Closed the database to further changes.
Close
To bring to an end; terminate
Close a letter.
Close a bank account.
Close
To bring together all the elements or parts of
Management closed ranks and ostracized the troublemaker.
Close
To join or unite; bring into contact
Close a circuit.
Close
To draw or bind together the edges of
Close a wound.
Close
(Sports) To modify (one's stance), as in baseball or golf, by turning the body so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact with the ball.
Close
To complete the final details or negotiations on
Close a deal.
Close
(Archaic) To enclose on all sides.
Close
To become shut
The door closed quietly.
Close
To come to an end; finish
The book closes on a hopeful note.
Close
To reach an agreement; come to terms
We close on the house next week.
Close
To cease operation
The shop closes at six.
Close
To be priced or listed at a specified amount when trading ends
Stocks closed higher on Monday.
Close
To engage at close quarters
Closed with the enemy.
Close
To draw near
The orbiter closed with the space station in preparation for docking.
Close
To come together
My arms closed around the little child.
Close
(Baseball) To finish a game by protecting a lead. Used of relief pitchers.
Close
The act of closing.
Close
A conclusion; a finish
The meeting came to a close.
Close
(Music) The concluding part of a phrase or theme; a cadence.
Close
(klōs) An enclosed place, especially land surrounding or beside a cathedral or other building.
Close
(klōs) Chiefly British A narrow way or alley.
Close
(Archaic) A fight at close quarters.
Close
In a close position or manner; closely
Stayed close together.
Close
(physical) To remove a gap.
Close
To obstruct (an opening).
Close
To move so that an opening is closed.
Close the door behind you when you leave.
Jim was listening to headphones with his eyes closed.
Close
To make (e.g. a gap) smaller.
The runner in second place is closing the gap on the leader.
To close the ranks of an army
Close
To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.
Close
To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.
Close
To grapple; to engage in close combat.
Close
To finish, to terminate.
Close
To put an end to; to conclude; to complete; to finish; to consummate.
Close the session;
To close a bargain;
To close a course of instruction
Close
To come to an end.
The debate closed at six o'clock.
Close
(marketing) To make a sale.
Close
To make the final outs, usually three, of a game.
He has closed the last two games for his team.
Close
To terminate an application, window, file or database connection, etc.
Close
To cancel or reverse (a trading position).
Close
To come or gather around; to enclose; to encompass; to confine.
Close
(surveying) To have a vector sum of 0; that is, to form a closed polygon.
Close
(intransitive) To do the tasks (putting things away, locking doors, etc.) required to prepare a store or other establishment to shut down for the night.
Whoever closed last night forgot to turn off the closet light.
Close
(Philippines) To turn off; to switch off.
Close
An end or conclusion.
We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.
Close
The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
Close
(sales) The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer is asked to buy.
Close
A grapple in wrestling.
Close
(music) The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
Close
(music) A double bar marking the end.
Close
The time when checkin staff will no longer accept passengers for a flight.
Close
An enclosed field.
Close
(chiefly British) A street that ends in a dead end.
Close
(Scotland) A very narrow alley between two buildings, often overhung by one of the buildings above the ground floor.
Close
(Scotland) The common staircase in a tenement.
Close
A cathedral close.
Close
(legal) The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not enclosed
Close
Closed, shut.
Close
Narrow; confined.
A close alley; close quarters
Close
At a little distance; near.
Is your house close?
Close
Intimate; well-loved.
He is a close friend.
Close
(legal) Of a corporation or other business entity, closely held.
Close
Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude.
Close
Hot, humid, with no wind.
Close
Articulated with the tongue body relatively close to the hard palate.
Close
Strictly confined; carefully guarded.
A close prisoner
Close
(obsolete) Out of the way of observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
Close
Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced.
A close contest
Close
Short.
To cut grass or hair close
Close
(archaic) Dense; solid; compact.
Close
(archaic) Concise; to the point.
Close reasoning
Close
(dated) Difficult to obtain.
Money is close.
Close
(dated) Parsimonious; stingy.
Close
Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact.
A close translation; a close copy
Close
Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating; strict.
The patient was kept under close observation.
Close
Marked, evident.en
Close
Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer or goal); near
No, but you were close.
We were so close to winning!
Close
To stop, or fill up, as an opening; to shut; as, to close the eyes; to close a door.
Close
To bring together the parts of; to consolidate; as, to close the ranks of an army; - often used with up.
Close
To bring to an end or period; to conclude; to complete; to finish; to end; to consummate; as, to close a bargain; to close a course of instruction.
One frugal supper did our studies close.
Close
To come or gather around; to inclose; to encompass; to confine.
The depth closed me round about.
But now thou dost thyself immure and closeIn some one corner of a feeble heart.
Close
To come together; to unite or coalesce, as the parts of a wound, or parts separated.
What deep wounds ever closed without a scar?
Close
To end, terminate, or come to a period; as, the debate closed at six o'clock.
Close
To grapple; to engage in hand-to-hand fight.
They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest.
Close
The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
The doors of plank were; their close exquisite.
Close
Conclusion; cessation; ending; end.
His long and troubled life was drawing to a close.
Close
A grapple in wrestling.
Close
The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
At every close she made, the attending throngReplied, and bore the burden of the song.
Close
An inclosed place; especially, a small field or piece of land surrounded by a wall, hedge, or fence of any kind; - specifically, the precinct of a cathedral or abbey.
Closes surrounded by the venerable abodes of deans and canons.
Close
A narrow passage leading from a street to a court, and the houses within.
Close
The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not inclosed.
Close
Shut fast; closed; tight; as, a close box.
From a close bower this dainty music flowed.
Close
Narrow; confined; as, a close alley; close quarters.
Close
Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude; - said of the air, weather, etc.
If the rooms be low-roofed, or full of windows and doors, the one maketh the air close, . . . and the other maketh it exceeding unequal.
Close
Strictly confined; carefully quarded; as, a close prisoner.
Close
Out of the way observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
"Her close intent."
Close
Disposed to keep secrets; secretive; reticent.
Close
Having the parts near each other; dense; solid; compact; as applied to bodies; viscous; tenacious; not volatile, as applied to liquids.
The golden globe being put into a press, . . . the water made itself way through the pores of that very close metal.
Close
Concise; to the point; as, close reasoning.
Close
Adjoining; near; either in space; time, or thought; - often followed by to.
Plant the spring crocuses close to a wall.
The thought of the Man of sorrows seemed a very close thing - not a faint hearsay.
Close
Short; as, to cut grass or hair close.
Close
Intimate; familiar; confidential.
League with you I seekAnd mutual amity, so strait, so close,That I with you must dwell, or you with me.
Close
Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; as, a close vote.
Close
Difficult to obtain; as, money is close.
Close
Parsimonious; stingy.
Close
Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact; strict; as, a close translation.
Close
Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating; strict; not wandering; as, a close observer.
Close
Uttered with a relatively contracted opening of the mouth, as certain sounds of e and o in French, Italian, and German; - opposed to open.
Close
In a close manner.
Close
Secretly; darkly.
A wondrous vision which did close implyThe course of all her fortune and posterity.
Close
The temporal end; the concluding time;
The stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell
The market was up at the finish
They were playing better at the close of the season
Close
The last section of a communication;
In conclusion I want to say...
Close
The concluding part of any performance
Close
Cease to operate or cause to cease operating;
The owners decided to move and to close the factory
My business closes every night at 8 P.M.
Close
Complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement;
We closed on the house on Friday
They closed the deal on the building
Close
Move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut;
Close the door
Shut the window
Close
Bar access to;
Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours
Close
Finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.);
The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board
Close
Draw near;
The probe closed with the space station
Close
Come to a close;
The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin
Close
Become closed;
The windows closed with a loud bang
Close
Come together, as if in an embrace;
Her arms closed around her long lost relative
Close
Unite or bring into contact or bring together the edges of;
Close the circuit
Close a wound
Close
Bring together all the elements or parts of;
Management closed ranks
Close
Engage at close quarters;
Close with the enemy
Close
Be priced or listed when trading stops;
The stock market closed high this Friday
My new stocks closed at $59 last night
Close
Cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
Close
Change one's body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
Close
Fill or stop up;
Can you close the cracks with caulking?
Close
Finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead;
The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning
Close
At or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other;
Close to noon
How close are we to town?
A close formation of ships
Close
Close in relevance or relationship;
A close family
We are all...in close sympathy with...
Close kin
A close resemblance
Close
Not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances;
Near neighbors
In the near future
They are near equals
His nearest approach to success
A very near thing
A near hit by the bomb
She was near tears
She was close to tears
Had a close call
Close
Rigorously attentive; strict and thorough;
Close supervision
Paid close attention
A close study
Kept a close watch on expenditures
Close
Marked by fidelity to an original;
A close translation
A faithful copy of the portrait
A faithful rendering of the observed facts
Close
(of a contest or contestants) evenly matched;
A close contest
A close election
A tight game
Close
Crowded;
Close quarters
Close
Lacking fresh air;
A dusty airless attic
The dreadfully close atmosphere
Hot and stuffy and the air was blue with smoke
Close
Of textiles;
A close weave
Smooth percale with a very tight weave
Close
Strictly confined or guarded;
Kept under close custody
Close
Confined to specific persons;
A close secret
Close
Fitting closely but comfortably;
A close fit
Close
Used of hair or haircuts;
A close military haircut
Close
Giving or spending with reluctance;
Our cheeseparing administration
Very close (or near) with his money
A penny-pinching miserly old man
Close
Inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information;
Although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it
Close
Near in time or place or relationship;
As the wedding day drew near
Stood near the door
Don't shoot until they come near
Getting near to the true explanation
Her mother is always near
The end draws nigh
The bullet didn't come close
Don't get too close to the fire
Close
In an attentive manner;
He remained close on his guard
Common Curiosities
What scenarios are suitable for using "closer"?
"Closer" is suitable when comparing proximity or advancement towards a goal.
Can "close" and "closer" be used interchangeably?
No, because "close" can signify proximity or conclusion, while "closer" specifically compares degrees of proximity.
How does the context affect the use of "close" vs. "closer"?
The choice between "close" and "closer" depends on whether the statement is absolute or comparative. "Close" is used for general statements about proximity or conclusions, while "closer" is used when making comparisons between two states or entities.
What are some common mistakes people make when using "close" and "closer"?
A common mistake is using "close" when a comparison is intended, thereby necessitating "closer." For example, saying "He stood close to me than her" should be corrected to "He stood closer to me than her."
How is "closer" used differently from "close"?
"Closer" is specifically a comparative form used to indicate a higher degree of proximity or nearness.
Does the meaning of "close" change with pronunciation?
Yes, its pronunciation changes depending on its role in speech, affecting its meaning (closure vs. proximity).
Is "closer" always related to physical distance?
While "closer" often refers to physical proximity, it can also be used metaphorically to describe progression towards non-physical goals, such as completing a task or understanding a concept.
What is the primary use of "close"?
"Close" can function as an adjective, adverb, verb, or noun, relating to proximity, intimacy, or ending.
Can "close" be used in contexts other than proximity or endings?
Yes, "close" can also describe the tightness of a fit or relationship, as in "a close-knit family," or the intensity of an observation, as in "pay close attention."
Can "close" function as a verb and how does this affect its comparison with "closer"?
Yes, "close" can function as a verb, meaning to shut something or bring to an end. This usage is distinct from "closer," which is not used as a verb. This difference is crucial when discussing actions such as closing a door versus moving closer to a location.
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Maham Liaqat
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
