close 1 of 5

adjective

ˈklōs How to pronounce close (audio)
Definition of closenext
1
as in crowded
having little space between items or parts the soldiers marched in close formation against the enemy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in near
not being distant in time, space, or significance my birthday is close to Christmas a shopping mall that is very close to the highway these words are close synonyms

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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

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4
as in intimate
closely acquainted a small wedding ceremony that was limited to close friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge she was as close as a stone when it came to talking about her love life

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in cheap
giving or sharing as little as possible the kind of folks who are very close when charity calls

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7
as in breathless
lacking fresh air a small room with an uncomfortably close atmosphere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in accurate
meeting the highest standard of accuracy a close analysis of the box-office performance of action movies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

close

2 of 5

verb

ˈklōz How to pronounce close (audio)
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

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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

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4
as in to stop
to come to an end the services closed with a short prayer

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5
as in to come
to come near or nearer the two groups closed with each other from opposite sides of the field

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close

3 of 5

adverb

ˈklōs How to pronounce close (audio)
as in in
at, within, or to a short distance or time the stranded passengers drew close for reassurance

Synonyms & Similar Words

close

4 of 5

noun (1)

ˈklōs How to pronounce close (audio)
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)

ˈklōz How to pronounce close (audio)
1
as in ending
the stopping of a process or activity at the close of the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conclusion
the last part of a process or action managed to conduct the negotiations to a satisfactory close

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
This pixie cut is close at the nape of the neck and fuller in the crown with soft edges, explains Laurie Anderson Ashe, stylist and owner of Hair Colour Concepts in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. — Emma Ashe, Southern Living, 26 July 2026 Positionally, all 25 coaches agreed that the most expensive players this spring — via retention or the transfer portal — were centers, with point guards a close second. — Brendan Marks, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Verb
The blade appears suspended within the handle when closed, giving the design an airy mechanical look despite its fuller proportions. — New Atlas, 21 July 2026 By the time a shortage hits maintenance or production, the decision window has usually been closed for weeks or months. — Seema Phull, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Adverb
Which brings us to now, with the stock trailing the dividend but moving closer over the last few weeks. — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Telnyx operates its own global communications network and has expanded into AI inference infrastructure and AI voice orchestration, allowing communications workloads and AI workloads to run closer together. — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Noun
From a functionality perspective, the soft-close cabinet doors reveal plenty of shelving for extra storage. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 July 2026 The Spain international would become the latest departure from City this summer, after Pep Guardiola brought to a close a decade in Manchester and was replaced by Maresca. — David Ornstein, New York Times, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
  1. crowded
  2. near
  3. narrow
  4. intimate
  5. silent
  6. tight
  7. breathless
  8. accurate
Adjective
  • Following a tumultuous term that saw the last Jackson County Executive recalled from office, Jackson County residents will choose from a crowded primary field of contenders for the county’s top seat on August 4.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
  • The products ensure everything stays in place and looks fresh at the crowded venue.
    — Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 24 July 2026
Definition of crowded
Adjective
  • The train station hulked behind barbed wire, abandoned for years, both witness to and eight million bricks’ worth of evidence of Detroit's near-collapse.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
  • Accenture estimates that only 10-20% of enterprise tasks are complex enough to justify frontier or near-frontier capability.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of near
Adjective
  • This year, lawmakers introduced narrower proposals, including a bill to create a statewide HOA complaint tracking system, but those measures remain stuck in committee.
    — Nora O'Neill July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
  • Given how unsettled the AI capital-spending cycle, macro policy, and geopolitical risk all are simultaneously, genuine diversification away from a narrow, concentrated public market has real value—and arguably more than usual.
    — Carrie McCabe, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • The Pretty Woman star wore a polka-dot navy dress for the intimate Sun Valley, Idaho ceremony.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 July 2026
  • Midjourney, Nano Banana, Kling, Veo 3 and ElevenLabs An intimate exploration of Kev’s personal experience of blindness, highlighting the people, relationships and aspects of everyday life that matter most to him.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 July 2026
Definition of intimate
Adjective
  • The oversized teeth of the character were originally to be used only during silent scenes, but Carrey learned to talk with them on to make his character even more cartoon-like.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
  • School is meant to prepare students for the real world, but too many institutions are training kids to be silent.
    — Annabelle Garland, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026
Definition of silent
Adjective
  • The city is considering imposing tighter curfew rules, for example.
    — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
  • The mainly American mainstays monopolize the market, while denim production has tight margins and is resource-intensive.
    — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 28 July 2026
Definition of tight
Adjective
  • Another excellent solo goal by Jude Bellingham ultimately secured third place for Thomas Tuchel’s side in a breathless match that offered entertainment beyond comparison.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • One of the best things about this episode’s edit is the sharp contrast between the players’ breathless race up and down the line of rooms and shots of the more relaxed atmosphere in any room that isn’t actively in use.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of breathless
Adjective
  • With in-store transactions flowing directly to the API, campaign reporting becomes more accurate and AI from Meta can optimize ads based on cross-channel revenue, Lightspeed said.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 27 July 2026
  • Note what’s accurate, outdated and what appears repeatedly across different sites.
    — Victoria Marshall, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of accurate

Phrases Containing close

Browse Nearby Words

clops
close
close call
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Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on close

Nglish: Translation of close for Spanish Speakers

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