1
as in secrecy
the practice or habit of keeping secrets or keeping one's affairs secret
we tried to penetrate her strange closeness about her domestic life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in economy
the quality or practice of being overly sparing with money
rebelled against his parents' closeness with his allowance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accuracy
the quality or state of being very accurate
the body was too decomposed to estimate the time of death with any great closeness
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4
as in intimacy
the state of being in a very personal or private relationship
the closeness of their relationship was a matter of intense speculation among their coworkers
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5
as in proximity
the state or condition of being near
we were surprised by the closeness of everything to our downtown loft
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6
as in carefulness
strict attentiveness to what one is doing
how much you get out of the sermon will depend on the closeness with which you listen to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of closeness
Building intentional connection rituals before separating for the night helps maintain closeness, as does treating it as a trial period rather than a permanent shift.
—
Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Loss of spontaneous physical closeness can happen if couples are not deliberate about staying connected, and cost and space are genuine barriers for many households.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Shah explains in the interview that their closeness came from sharing celebrity status.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
Batula, who recently filed for divorce from husband and fellow series star Kyle Cooke, took to social media Tuesday to confirm the closeness between she and Wilson.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
There’s this line toward the end where the narrator realizes that her happiness in that year had less to do with being young in a beautiful foreign city and everything to do with soaring at the height of female closeness.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Wilson’s Defense of Batula Amid Kyle Cooke Drama Wilson’s closeness to Batula was already evident to viewers this season, particularly during a tense on‑camera argument between Batula and Cooke that escalated late one night.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Serious conversations can deepen closeness.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
Then, there’s Rigg’s closeness with Kidman.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Mar. 2026
Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Loss of spontaneous physical closeness can happen if couples are not deliberate about staying connected, and cost and space are genuine barriers for many households.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Shah explains in the interview that their closeness came from sharing celebrity status.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
Batula, who recently filed for divorce from husband and fellow series star Kyle Cooke, took to social media Tuesday to confirm the closeness between she and Wilson.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
There’s this line toward the end where the narrator realizes that her happiness in that year had less to do with being young in a beautiful foreign city and everything to do with soaring at the height of female closeness.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Wilson’s Defense of Batula Amid Kyle Cooke Drama Wilson’s closeness to Batula was already evident to viewers this season, particularly during a tense on‑camera argument between Batula and Cooke that escalated late one night.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Serious conversations can deepen closeness.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
Then, there’s Rigg’s closeness with Kidman.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closeness
Noun
-
The commercial space race is defined by secrecy and competition, not collaboration.—
David W. Brown,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
China's use of executions — carried out by firing squads or lethal injections — is shrouded in secrecy but has long been extensive.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Channel 24 answered a need identified by a city study on the local music economy back in 2023.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The Colorado walkout followed the January closure of a meatpacking plant in Lexington, Nebraska, which was expected to ripple through the local economy and community.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Football kickers want to keep their shoulders and chest square to the ball when kicking, which ensures better accuracy.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The league is steadfast about its accuracy.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The tragicomic look at two lives on hold struck a chord; its depiction of a family bickering and bantering, and of the risks of intimacy, felt specific and true.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
This was especially true at the start of the month, as the moon reached its peak in harmony-seeking Libra on April 1, highlighting your eighth house of intimacy, depth and vulnerability.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Right now the comet is difficult to monitor because of its proximity to our star.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Organizations can benefit by valuing carefulness and concentration not as an obligation, but as a fundamental pillar of success.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Just as essential a consideration as carefulness for committee members, though, is speed.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
McCarthy is not the first Hollywood conservative to discuss the industry’s secretiveness over Republicanism.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Schmitt scratched, Encarnacion gets first start First baseman Casey Schmitt was scratched from Friday’s starting lineup due to lower back tightness.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Mark Vientos reached base safely four times, but slugger Juan Soto exited early with right calf tightness.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Closeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeness. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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