Close Definition and Meaning
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on February 29, 2024
"Close" refers to a short distance or nearness in space, time, or relationship. e.g., The library is close to my house.
Table of Contents
Close Definitions
Physical Proximity: Close describes being at a short distance away.
The bus stop is close to the school.
End of an Event: Close means to bring something to an end.
The store will close at 8 PM.
Narrow Margin: Close refers to a small gap or difference.
The election was won by a close margin.
Ending a Conversation: Close can mean to conclude a discussion or negotiation.
Let's close this meeting with a vote.
Emotional Bonding: Close indicates a strong personal bond or relationship.
She is very close with her grandmother.
Intimate Space: Close can mean physically near, invading personal space.
He stood too close during the conversation.
Seal or Shut: Close means to make something not open.
Please close the door gently.
Near in Time: Close indicates a short time before or after something.
The holiday is close; we should prepare.
Careful or Detailed: Close can describe paying careful attention.
He read the instructions with a close eye.
Almost Similar: Close can imply being nearly the same.
Their opinions on the topic were very close.
Being near in space or time. See Usage Note at redundancy.
Being near in relationship
Close relatives.
Bound by mutual interests, loyalties, or affections; intimate
Close friends.
Having little or no space between elements or parts; tight and compact
A close weave.
Being near the surface; short
A close haircut.
Being on the brink of
Close to tears.
Decided by a narrow margin; almost even
A close election.
Faithful to the original
A close copy.
Very attentive; rigorous; thorough
A close reading.
Close supervision.
Shut; closed.
Shut in; enclosed.
Confining or narrow; crowded
Close quarters.
Fitting tightly
Close garments.
Warm and humid or stuffy
Close weather.
A close room.
Confined to specific persons or groups
A close secret.
Strictly confined or guarded
Kept under close custody.
Secretive; reticent
Was close about her personal life.
Giving or spending with reluctance; stingy
He is known to be close with his money.
Not easily acquired; scarce
Money was close.
(Linguistics) Pronounced with the tongue near the palate, as the ee in meet. Used of vowels.
Marked by more rather than less punctuation, especially commas.
To move (a door, for example) so that an opening or passage is covered or obstructed; shut.
To bar access to
Closed the road for repairs.
To fill or stop up
Closed the cracks with plaster.
To stop the operations of permanently or temporarily
Closed down the factory.
To make unavailable for use
Closed the area to development.
Closed the database to further changes.
To bring to an end; terminate
Close a letter.
Close a bank account.
To bring together all the elements or parts of
Management closed ranks and ostracized the troublemaker.
To join or unite; bring into contact
Close a circuit.
To draw or bind together the edges of
Close a wound.
(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.
To complete the final details or negotiations on
Close a deal.
(Archaic) To enclose on all sides.
To become shut
The door closed quietly.
To come to an end; finish
The book closes on a hopeful note.
To reach an agreement; come to terms
We close on the house next week.
To cease operation
The shop closes at six.
To be priced or listed at a specified amount when trading ends
Stocks closed higher on Monday.
To engage at close quarters
Closed with the enemy.
To draw near
The orbiter closed with the space station in preparation for docking.
To come together
My arms closed around the little child.
(Baseball) To finish a game by protecting a lead. Used of relief pitchers.
The act of closing.
A conclusion; a finish
The meeting came to a close.
(Music) The concluding part of a phrase or theme; a cadence.
(klōs) An enclosed place, especially land surrounding or beside a cathedral or other building.
(klōs) Chiefly British A narrow way or alley.
(Archaic) A fight at close quarters.
In a close position or manner; closely
Stayed close together.
(physical) To remove a gap.
To obstruct (an opening).
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.
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
To move to a position preventing fluid from flowing.
To move to a position allowing electricity to flow.
To grapple; to engage in close combat.
To finish, to terminate.
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
To come to an end.
The debate closed at six o'clock.
(marketing) To make a sale.
To make the final outs, usually three, of a game.
He has closed the last two games for his team.
To terminate an application, window, file or database connection, etc.
To cancel or reverse (a trading position).
To come or gather around; to enclose; to encompass; to confine.
(surveying) To have a vector sum of 0; that is, to form a closed polygon.
(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.
(Philippines) To turn off; to switch off.
An end or conclusion.
We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.
The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
(sales) The point at the end of a sales pitch when the consumer is asked to buy.
A grapple in wrestling.
(music) The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
(music) A double bar marking the end.
The time when checkin staff will no longer accept passengers for a flight.
An enclosed field.
(chiefly British) A street that ends in a dead end.
(Scotland) A very narrow alley between two buildings, often overhung by one of the buildings above the ground floor.
(Scotland) The common staircase in a tenement.
A cathedral close.
(legal) The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not enclosed
Closed, shut.
Narrow; confined.
A close alley; close quarters
At a little distance; near.
Is your house close?
Intimate; well-loved.
He is a close friend.
(legal) Of a corporation or other business entity, closely held.
Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude.
Hot, humid, with no wind.
Articulated with the tongue body relatively close to the hard palate.
Strictly confined; carefully guarded.
A close prisoner
(obsolete) Out of the way of observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced.
A close contest
Short.
To cut grass or hair close
(archaic) Dense; solid; compact.
(archaic) Concise; to the point.
Close reasoning
(dated) Difficult to obtain.
Money is close.
(dated) Parsimonious; stingy.
Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact.
A close translation; a close copy
Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating; strict.
The patient was kept under close observation.
Marked, evident.en
Almost, but not quite (getting to an answer or goal); near
No, but you were close.
We were so close to winning!
To stop, or fill up, as an opening; to shut; as, to close the eyes; to close a door.
To bring together the parts of; to consolidate; as, to close the ranks of an army; - often used with up.
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.
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.
To come together; to unite or coalesce, as the parts of a wound, or parts separated.
What deep wounds ever closed without a scar?
To end, terminate, or come to a period; as, the debate closed at six o'clock.
To grapple; to engage in hand-to-hand fight.
They boldly closed in a hand-to-hand contest.
The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.
The doors of plank were; their close exquisite.
Conclusion; cessation; ending; end.
His long and troubled life was drawing to a close.
A grapple in wrestling.
The conclusion of a strain of music; cadence.
At every close she made, the attending throngReplied, and bore the burden of the song.
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.
A narrow passage leading from a street to a court, and the houses within.
The interest which one may have in a piece of ground, even though it is not inclosed.
Shut fast; closed; tight; as, a close box.
From a close bower this dainty music flowed.
Narrow; confined; as, a close alley; close quarters.
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.
Strictly confined; carefully quarded; as, a close prisoner.
Out of the way observation; secluded; secret; hidden.
"Her close intent."
Disposed to keep secrets; secretive; reticent.
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.
Concise; to the point; as, close reasoning.
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.
Short; as, to cut grass or hair 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.
Nearly equal; almost evenly balanced; as, a close vote.
Difficult to obtain; as, money is close.
Parsimonious; stingy.
Adhering strictly to a standard or original; exact; strict; as, a close translation.
Accurate; careful; precise; also, attentive; undeviating; strict; not wandering; as, a close observer.
Uttered with a relatively contracted opening of the mouth, as certain sounds of e and o in French, Italian, and German; - opposed to open.
In a close manner.
Secretly; darkly.
A wondrous vision which did close implyThe course of all her fortune and posterity.
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
The last section of a communication;
In conclusion I want to say...
The concluding part of any performance
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.
Complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement;
We closed on the house on Friday
They closed the deal on the building
Move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut;
Close the door
Shut the window
Bar access to;
Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours
Finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.);
The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board
Draw near;
The probe closed with the space station
Come to a close;
The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin
Become closed;
The windows closed with a loud bang
Come together, as if in an embrace;
Her arms closed around her long lost relative
Unite or bring into contact or bring together the edges of;
Close the circuit
Close a wound
Bring together all the elements or parts of;
Management closed ranks
Engage at close quarters;
Close with the enemy
Be priced or listed when trading stops;
The stock market closed high this Friday
My new stocks closed at $59 last night
Cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
Change one's body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
Fill or stop up;
Can you close the cracks with caulking?
Finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead;
The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning
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 in relevance or relationship;
A close family
We are all...in close sympathy with...
Close kin
A close resemblance
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
Rigorously attentive; strict and thorough;
Close supervision
Paid close attention
A close study
Kept a close watch on expenditures
Marked by fidelity to an original;
A close translation
A faithful copy of the portrait
A faithful rendering of the observed facts
(of a contest or contestants) evenly matched;
A close contest
A close election
A tight game
Crowded;
Close quarters
Lacking fresh air;
A dusty airless attic
The dreadfully close atmosphere
Hot and stuffy and the air was blue with smoke
Of textiles;
A close weave
Smooth percale with a very tight weave
Strictly confined or guarded;
Kept under close custody
Confined to specific persons;
A close secret
Fitting closely but comfortably;
A close fit
Used of hair or haircuts;
A close military haircut
Giving or spending with reluctance;
Our cheeseparing administration
Very close (or near) with his money
A penny-pinching miserly old man
Inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information;
Although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it
Near in time or place or relationship;
In an attentive manner;
He remained close on his guard
Close Snonyms
Conclude
To bring to an end; finish.
The meeting was concluded with a vote.
Seal
To fasten or close securely.
He sealed the envelope with a stamp.
Shut
To move (a door or lid) so that it blocks an opening.
She shut the window as it started to rain.
Lock
To secure with a lock.
She locked the door before leaving the house.
End
To bring to a conclusion.
The show ended with a spectacular finale.
Secure
To make safe or tight.
He secured the package with tape before shipping.
Finish
To complete or conclude.
She finished her homework before dinner.
Cease
To come to an end.
The company ceased operations last year.
Finalize
To complete the last part of a plan or project.
They finalized the details of the agreement yesterday.
Terminate
To bring to an end.
The contract was terminated due to non-compliance.
Close Idioms & Phrases
Close to home
Affecting someone very personally.
The documentary on climate change really hit close to home for Sarah.
Close ranks
To unite and work together, especially in a difficult situation.
The team members closed ranks to complete the project on time after their leader resigned.
Close the door on
To put an end to an opportunity or possibility.
By turning down the job offer, he effectively closed the door on a potential career in finance.
Close at hand
Something that is nearby or readily available.
Keep your phone close at hand in case I need to contact you.
Close the book on
To stop thinking about or dealing with a matter.
After the case was solved, the detective was ready to close the book on it.
Close quarters
A situation where people are in a small space together.
Tensions often rise when people are living in close quarters.
Close-knit
Describing a group of people who are very close and supportive of each other.
We have a close-knit community that always helps each other in times of need.
Close shave
Similar to "close call," meaning a situation where something bad almost happened.
That car came out of nowhere; it was a close shave!
Close call
A situation where an undesirable outcome was narrowly avoided.
It was a close call when Jane nearly missed her flight but made it just in time.
Close to the vest
Similar to "close to the chest," meaning to keep one's intentions or strategies secret.
She keeps her business plans close to the vest.
Close the deal
To finalize an agreement or arrangement.
After weeks of negotiation, we finally closed the deal.
Close to the chest
Keeping one's plans, thoughts, or feelings secret.
He plays his cards close to the chest, so it's hard to know what he's thinking.
Close the loop
To finish all parts of a task or process.
We need to close the loop on this project by getting client feedback.
Close-minded
Not willing to consider different ideas or opinions.
He's quite close-minded about new technology.
Close to the bone
A remark or joke that is uncomfortably close to the truth.
His comment about my work ethic was a bit too close to the bone.
Close the gap
To reduce a difference or disparity.
The new policy aims to close the gap between the rich and the poor.
Close to the mark
Very accurate or nearly correct.
Her guess was pretty close to the mark.
Close to the ground
Being in a position to be very aware of the most recent developments or changes.
As a local journalist, she keeps her ear close to the ground.
Close to the wind
To act in a way that is barely within the rules or laws.
The company's tax avoidance strategy sails close to the wind.
Close to one's heart
Something that one cares about deeply.
Charitable work is a cause close to her heart.
Close Example Sentences
She held the gift close to her heart.
The game was a close call.
The shop is close to closing time.
The birds flew close to the ground.
Please close your books and listen.
The door won't close properly.
Their answers were very close, almost identical.
We live close to the beach.
My birthday is close to Christmas.
We need to close this deal by Friday.
The race was too close to call.
They had a close friendship since childhood.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
She made a close examination of the painting.
As it gets close to winter, it becomes colder.
Common Curiosities
How is close used in a sentence?
As a verb: Please close the door. As an adjective: They live in a close community.
How do we divide close into syllables?
As a single-syllable word, close is not divided into syllables.
How many syllables are in close?
There is one syllable in close.
What is the verb form of close?
The verb form of close is to close, as in closing something.
What is the root word of close?
The root word of close is the Latin claudere.
What is a stressed syllable in close?
In close, the entire word forms a single stressed syllable.
Why is it called close?
Close is derived from the Old French clos, meaning enclosed or confined, which in turn comes from the Latin claudere, meaning to shut or block.
What is the first form of close?
The first form (base form) of close is close.
What part of speech is close?
Close can be a verb, adjective, adverb, or noun, depending on the context.
What is the singular form of close?
Close itself can be singular as a verb, adjective, or noun.
What is the plural form of close?
The plural form is not applicable to close as a verb or adjective. As a noun, it can be closes in certain contexts, like stock market closes.
What is the pronunciation of close?
Close is pronounced as /kloʊz/.
What is the second form of close?
The second form (past tense) of close is closed.
Is close an abstract noun?
Close is not typically an abstract noun; it is more concrete in its noun and adjective forms.
Is close a countable noun?
As a noun, close is usually not countable, except in specific contexts like a close in a piece of music.
What is another term for close?
Another term for close (as a verb) is shut, and (as an adjective) is near.
Is the word close Gerund?
Closing is the gerund form of the verb close.
Is the word “close” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Close can be neither; it's a verb or adjective. However, in sentences, it can act on direct objects, e.g., She closes the window.
What is the opposite of close?
The opposite of close (verb) is open, and (adjective) is far.
Is close a noun or adjective?
Close can be both a noun and an adjective, depending on usage.
Is close a negative or positive word?
The connotation of close can be either negative or positive, depending on the context.
Is the word close imperative?
Close can be imperative when used as a command, e.g., Close the door.
Which vowel is used before close?
There's no specific vowel used before close; it depends on the sentence structure.
Is close a collective noun?
Close is not typically a collective noun.
Is the close term a metaphor?
Close can be used metaphorically, depending on context.
Which preposition is used with close?
Prepositions like to, by, with can be used with close in different contexts.
What is the third form of close?
The third form (past participle) of close is closed.
Is close an adverb?
Close can also function as an adverb, as in stand close.
Is close a vowel or consonant?
Close is a word consisting of both vowels and consonants.
Which determiner is used with close?
Determiners like the, this, that, can be used with close depending on the sentence.
Which conjunction is used with close?
Conjunctions like and, but, or while can be used with close, depending on sentence construction.
Which article is used with close?
Both definite (the) and indefinite (a, an) articles can be used with close, depending on the context.
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Written by
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.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
