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

2 of 5

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

5 of 5

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
Cena, listening to the fans, decided not to use the title, allowing Punk to hit the GTS for another very close nearfall. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 Some of my friends sent them a gift, knowing why they were not invited but three of my close friends didn’t send anything (even a card would have been thoughtful). R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
Verb
According to a news release from the city, the following streets will be closed starting at 7 a.m. Saturday: Dickson Street between St. Charles Avenue and Gregg Avenue/Powerhouse Alley. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 June 2025 Alongside Hindley’s, the other two roles to close are the Commissioning Editor and Commissioning Co-ordinator. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 June 2025
Adverb
Sunday’s Game 7, the 20th in NBA Finals history, remained close through the first half even after Haliburton’s injury cast a pall over the proceedings. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 June 2025 Now that remote working has become normalized and loneliness rates surge despite constant digital interaction, most question whether our social apps and productivity tools genuinely bring us closer, or merely accelerate a hollowing-out of communities. Simon Parkin, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025
Noun
Blanchett makes her appearance as the main story, focusing on Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), comes to a close. Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 27 June 2025 The only way this deal could soften the blow of losing Abel is if the team can convince Chapman to sign a multi-year extension between the end of next month and the season coming to a close. Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
  • Doubs will attempt to do that in a crowded wide receiver room where Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks return, and rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams could be immediate contributors.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Hernandez said she is focused on winning her own reelection bid in a crowded field.
    Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Expect to hear more news about Marchand in the near future.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • This again raised the prospect of the U.S. president naming Powell's successor in the near future in a bid to undermine his authority.
    Jenni Reid, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Romero gave chase down a narrow alley where Biddle said Sartor turned and fired, striking Romero in the right arm.
    City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
  • While the House of Representatives passed one version of the legislation and the Senate advanced a separate one, the GOP’s narrow majorities in both chambers make the timing of the eventual package and its exact provisions less certain.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Meals are a great time to set boundaries in place and enjoy intimate conversations.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • The writers seemingly wanted to make a more intimate, heist-style crime drama without figuring out why or how Riri would fit into it.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • The popular Silent Book Club is seeing people connect through silent reading, while an ever-growing list of celebrity book clubs and even book club podcasts invite readers to find community from anywhere in the world.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 24 June 2025
  • But a silent threat was brewing—one that went unnoticed for over a decade.
    Susan Horava, Health, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • Introductory pricing: Spectrum’s most affordable plan is much cheaper than AT&T's, at$30 a month compared to AT&T’s $55 a month for 100 and 300 Mbps download speeds,respectively.
    Kara McGinley, USA Today, 26 June 2025
  • However, thimerosal is more common elsewhere in the world for various multi-dose vaccine vials, which are cheaper than the single-dose vials more commonly used in the US.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.
    Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011
Adjective
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 July 2025
  • Even when observers were given the personal backstory behind a tattoo, their judgments didn’t become significantly more accurate.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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