1
: near a center of activity and especially a city
close-in suburbs
2
: occurring or designed for use within a narrowly limited area
close-in fighting
close-in weapons
closed in; closing in; closes in
1
: to encircle closely and isolate
2
: to enshroud to such an extent as to preclude entrance or exit
the airport was closed in by the storm
1
: to gather in close all around with an oppressing or isolating effect
despair closed in on her
2
: to approach to close quarters especially for an attack, raid, or arrest
the police closed in
3
: to grow dark
the short November day was already closing in—
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen GlasgowExamples of close-in in a Sentence
Verb
the eagle closed in on its prey
with evening closing in we knew we had to find shelter fairly soon
Recent Examples on the Web
William Hurst, Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2025
Some have compared the relative affordability of Astoria today to that years ago in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which was seen as a close-in refuge from Manhattan’s high costs, until its own skyrocketing prices dimmed that luster.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Add to that the close-in communications, collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
—Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Largely domestic, largely in the close-in.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for close-in
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Adjective
Through incremental agreements, for instance, Trump and Xi could address specific issues such as maritime security and freedom of navigation by agreeing to a code of conduct along with protocols for managing close-in naval encounters.
—William Hurst, Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2025
Some have compared the relative affordability of Astoria today to that years ago in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which was seen as a close-in refuge from Manhattan’s high costs, until its own skyrocketing prices dimmed that luster.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Add to that the close-in communications, collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
—Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Largely domestic, largely in the close-in.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for close-in
Cite this Entry
“Close-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close-in. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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close in
verb
: to gather in close all around with an oppressing effect
despair closed in on her
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