close by
idiom
: at a short distance away
Don't worry: if anything happens I'll be (standing) close by.
They're building a school close by.
Examples of close by in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Here's a look at the stores including Austin stores that will close by the end of January.
—
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
His 134 men were armed with musket, cartridge pouch, and sword in case of a hostile encounter, and the Africaansche Galey lay close by with a couple of small cannon brought forward on the bow.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The deal, which is expected to close by the end of the year and subject to regulatory approvals, comes as Puma has struggled to revive sales and follow through on a business overhaul after Arthur Hoeld, a former Adidas executive, took the reins last year.
—Anniek Bao,elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
The film’s opening stretch whizzes along as Charli — a natural, engaging actor — is dragged from one banal, vaguely embarrassing meeting or negotiation to another, sketchy vignettes usually punctuated at their close by Charli putting on her dark sunglasses and retreating back inward.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for close by
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.
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
His 134 men were armed with musket, cartridge pouch, and sword in case of a hostile encounter, and the Africaansche Galey lay close by with a couple of small cannon brought forward on the bow.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The deal, which is expected to close by the end of the year and subject to regulatory approvals, comes as Puma has struggled to revive sales and follow through on a business overhaul after Arthur Hoeld, a former Adidas executive, took the reins last year.
—Anniek Bao,elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
The film’s opening stretch whizzes along as Charli — a natural, engaging actor — is dragged from one banal, vaguely embarrassing meeting or negotiation to another, sketchy vignettes usually punctuated at their close by Charli putting on her dark sunglasses and retreating back inward.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for close by
Cite this Entry
“Close by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20by. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
