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
Still, there is something adventurous, even promising, about a new Turkish filmmaker attempting something that feels sure-handedly situated within longstanding cinematic traditions, and doing so with his close circle of friends and family (many of whom are in the cast or have assumed other roles). Tomris Laffly, Variety, 16 Sep. 2025 In fact, Iryna’s closest Ukrainian relatives have largely avoided the media since her death, due perhaps in part to a language barrier, but mainly because this combination of fresh horror and grief is too intense. Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
Operators who fail to adapt risk eroding profitability just as the year closes. Gary Occhiogrosso, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 At a lunch in the embassy Milena Berić from the festival tells us that the regime tried to close it down because the previous evening one writer had spoken about the genocide in Srebrenica. Sara Stridsberg september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Before all this, India and the United States had been growing steadily closer for nearly three decades. Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025 This type of bag will keep your essentials close without feeling bulky. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
Propelled by one of guitarist Wes Borland’s hypnotic riffs, crunching beats, old-school record scratches and the group’s signature shouty choruses, the whole thing comes crashing to a close with a pummeling final chorus that finally nods to the country star in the title. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2025 Counting The Life of Chuck, which premiered at festivals in 2024 but opened wide this June, four of King's stories will have hit the box office by the time 2025 comes to a close, three of which—Chuck, The Monkey, and this week's The Long Walk—were first-time adaptations. James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
  • At first glance, Nam-Joon Cho’s lab at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University looks like your typical research facility—scientists toiling away, crowded workbenches, a hum of machinery in the background.
    Sandy Ong, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The company has been around for over four decades, and other big-name tech companies, such as IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon, have made the cloud services market more crowded than ever.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Just as a developer is trying to move ahead with plans to raze the historic Excelsior Club in west Charlotte, then rebuild a near replica, a local museum CEO is trying to make the case for saving the structure.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Improving business environment While trade tensions and worries about China's economic slowdown weighed on the near-term outlook, the survey respondents indicated significant improvement in the local regulatory environment.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Students have a narrow window to unlock access to training that could dramatically shape their post-grad trajectory.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • For decades, OPOs have been bulky systems with narrow ranges.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike other ultra-luxury brands that were reconstituted in the past few decades under new ownership, Maybach has intimate century-long ties with its mother, Mercedes-Benz.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Boston and its environs are a treasure trove of intimate spaces and sweeping views, dreamy restaurants and enchanting balconies.
    Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Owners also must have measures in place to ensure that cannabis is not stolen or diverted, including programs to track each piece of cannabis that enters and leaves their store, as well as more traditional security systems, such as video-surveillance systems and a silent alarm.
    Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
  • If any police ask you questions ask for a lawyer and stay silent.
    Joshua Rhett Miller Jesus Mesa Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The efficiency and immediacy of space medicine may well influence healthcare innovation far beyond orbit, inspiring systems that are faster, cheaper, and more accessible.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • But because the signals are so faint, they can be drowned out by cheap jammers or replaced by counterfeit ones.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • And as Brown’s book races toward its elaborate climax, his (and Langdon’s) breathless effusions about the neuro-technological progress that awaits us sound jarringly out of sync with the anxious, doomy present.
    Book Marks September 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Almost four and a half hours later, the couple woke up to a breathless little boy.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Customer service and tech support will provide faster resolutions and more accurate answers.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • That volume of data is impractical to fit theoretical models to deliver large-scale, accurate predictions.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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