✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Learn More!
✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary — Learn More!

close to the bone

phrase

: within a sensitive or personal area
The criticism cut close to the bone.

Browse Nearby Words

close to tears
close to the bone
close to the edge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Close to the bone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20to%20the%20bone. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

The Words of the Week - Dec. 12

17 Words for Dog Breeds

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
serval
Name That Animal: Volume 3 Who’s who of the zoo crew
See All