close 1 of 5

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as in narrow
showing little difference in the standing of the competitors the election results were so close that the votes had to be recounted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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close

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verb

1
as in to shut
to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening be sure to close the gate when you leave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to close (down)
to stop the operations of the merchant will close the store if business doesn't improve

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we'll close the assembly with the singing of our national anthem

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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close

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adverb

close

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noun (1)

as in courtyard
an open space wholly or partly enclosed (as by buildings or walls) a garden in a close at the center of the complex

Synonyms & Similar Words

close

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noun (2)

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective close contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of close are miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When can miserly be used instead of close?

The synonyms miserly and close are sometimes interchangeable, but miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would niggardly be a reasonable alternative to close?

Although the words niggardly and close have much in common, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

In what contexts can parsimonious take the place of close?

While in some cases nearly identical to close, parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When is it sensible to use penurious instead of close?

The meanings of penurious and close largely overlap; however, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When could stingy be used to replace close?

In some situations, the words stingy and close are roughly equivalent. However, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of close
Adjective
The day after the testy WhatsApp exchange between Lopez and Villegas, Marshall Billingslea – a close ally of Venezuela’s opposition – took action. Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025 In 2009 he was inducted into the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style, unveiling the plaque in his honor with Anne Hathaway, who remains a close friend. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
But along with this and keeping the toilet lid closed when not in use, here are a few other tips for keeping the bathroom a safe and sanitary place. Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025 Investigators found no evidence of foul play and the case was closed as a non-criminal death investigation, officials said. Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Why did Union Centre Boulevard close? Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025 But Canada was now tethered closer than ever to its neighbor and would be signed up wholesale to the economic orthodoxies of the coming neoliberal age. Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
And now with the fall sports season coming to a close, Hernandez is still eligible to compete in one more girls' track and field season in the spring. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025 With advances in video technology, a group from Monash University in Australia are getting an up-close-and-personal look at how venomous viper, elapid, and colubrid snakes flex their fangs. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
  • But as the calendar grew more crowded around the year-end holidays, studios started relying on off-peak months and began opening higher-profile films in October.
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Since no primary election was held to narrow the field, a crowded field of 16 Democratic, Republican, and independent candidates is set to appear on voters' ballots.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • About a thousand jobs are expected to be cut this week, and another thousand in the near future, as a new management team reorganizes the company.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Someone has to dive for it — either you, a tablemate who is nearer, or a waiter.
    Judith Martin, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • United, some of whose senior leadership team, including its chief executive, Scott Kirby, came from American, has done the opposite and is in the process of adding thousands of screens to narrow-body planes both new and old, including Bluetooth technology for wireless headphones.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The Fitzgerald was designed to carry as much cargo as possible and still fit through the narrow locks at Sault Ste.
    Kevin Duchschere, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Eleven men and women died in intimate partner homicides in 2024, nearly double the number killed the previous year, according to the annual Fatality Review Report for Tarrant County.
    Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Through intimate interviews with players, coaches, parents, journalists and opponents, director Kevin Shaw probes media bias, racial stereotypes, community pride and the ethical complexities of youth sports—showing how a moment meant to celebrate young athletes became a lasting stigma.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Scherzinger’s only familiarity with the material was Billy Wilder’s 1950 film, which starred Gloria Swanson as a faded beauty of the silent era hell-bent on a return to relevance.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born in Voghera, near Milan, on May 11, 1932, named after silent movie actor Rudolph Valentino.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • With the shutdown, people who would've come in to shop are opting to stay home or do something cheaper, according to him.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2025
  • For decades, candy corn was thought of as a cheap, year-round candy all children could enjoy.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • As a sleazy, lecherous publicist pinned in a Manhattan phone booth by a faceless sniper on the other end of the line, Farrell goes from smug condescension to breathless victimhood pretty effortlessly.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Despite breathless news coverage about the possibility, their comments during weekend TV interviews barely moved the needle.
    Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Having people with a variety of backgrounds work together on a project ups the likelihood that our interpretations are accurate.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The scale includes enhanced production design, period-accurate wardrobe and large-scale action set pieces — a significant leap for vertical content.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.

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