close in on
idiom
: to come or move nearer or closer to (someone or something)
The fire was closing in on their neighborhood.
The camera slowly closed in on the actor's face.
Police were closing in on the two men.
Examples of close in on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The same people who assured us, constantly, that the walls were about to close in on Donald Trump in the Russia investigation have endorsed, promoted, and defended Joe Biden, a man whose family business involves taking money from shady foreign actors.
—
Rich Lowry, National Review, 26 June 2023
Doing whatever Cronin can to close in on that prime objective is imperative.
—oregonlive, 25 June 2022
That also meant that as federal prosecutors began to close in on Mr. Benjamin in recent weeks, Ms. Hochul brushed the matter aside — tying herself closer to her running mate as late as the eve of his arrest.
—New York Times, 30 Apr. 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly address Wednesday said the country would be willing to trade Russian prisoners for the Ukrainian civilians trapped in Mariupol as Russian forces close in on the strategic port city, according to a report.
—Fox News, 25 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for close in on
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.
Rich Lowry, National Review, 26 June 2023
Doing whatever Cronin can to close in on that prime objective is imperative.
—oregonlive, 25 June 2022
That also meant that as federal prosecutors began to close in on Mr. Benjamin in recent weeks, Ms. Hochul brushed the matter aside — tying herself closer to her running mate as late as the eve of his arrest.
—New York Times, 30 Apr. 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly address Wednesday said the country would be willing to trade Russian prisoners for the Ukrainian civilians trapped in Mariupol as Russian forces close in on the strategic port city, according to a report.
—Fox News, 25 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for close in on
Cite this Entry
“Close in on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20in%20on. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share