close 1 of 5

1
2
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5
6
7
8

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

4
5

close

3 of 5

adverb

close

4 of 5

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
The honorees each received blurbs that close friends or collaborators wrote for them. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025 First made famous in the 1991 Gulf War, the Tomahawk is reserved for the US’s closest allies – including the United Kingdom and Japan. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
When the restaurant closed, the company stuck it in the ground in front of its own building. Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025 Jeter in the 2000s (*per 162 games) OK, case closed. Jayson Stark, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
The recent lurch toward Palestinian recognition brings this eventuality closer but is not yet enough to actualize it. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025 The federal government is inching closer toward a possible shutdown. Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
Youngkin didn’t mention the upcoming Virginia election in his close-to-hour-long speech. Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025 Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu’s Gloaming In Luomu was presented with the Busan Award for Best Film at the close of the Busan Film Festival on Friday night. Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
  • Ravenna offers a less crowded alternative to popular Italian destinations like Venice and Rome.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Forever remembered and loved In the crowded police conference room, love for Rylo filled the air.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Members who bought the wine should safely dispose of any unused bottles and seek a full refund of the purchase price at their nearest Costco warehouse.
    Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
  • After 5+ years of construction and planning, animal health company Elanco welcomed employees to its new $200-million headquarters on the near west side.
    Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Inflation could feature heavily in midterm elections next year, as the Republican Party looks to defend narrow majorities in the House and Senate.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The meandering layout of Milan predates cars, so expect to get your steps in on the narrow and winding roads.
    Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in September 2017, George opened up about the intimate proposal.
    Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Rebecca Hall plays Rosenkrantz and Ben Whishaw plays Hujar, who offers a detailed account of his previous day’s activity, involving such idiosyncratic eminences as Susan Sontag and Allen Ginsberg—and the sorts of gamesmanship and intimate tensions that ensnare and frustrate artistic energies.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The red agate worn by his mother reflects silent compassion, and the pearl accents on the Wulu pendant evoke the gentle passage of time.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Burnett was content to mine references from her own Depression-era youth; her famous maid character, the Charwoman, who became something of a show mascot, harked back to Chaplin’s Little Tramp, wearing a rumpled outfit and performing silent reveries.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Wahlberg plays a holy fool in Boogie Nights, our naïve but well-endowed guide through the heyday of theatrical pornography and its decline into something cheaper and tawdrier courtesy of the triumph of VHS.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
  • It’s been used to import cheap foreign labor at the expense of Americans.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Such breathless idealism sounds otherworldly today.
    Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
  • This is a story about two young people who find each other, fall madly in love, and are then torn apart by unimaginable disaster — one rendered by the obsessive director in minute, breathless, excruciating detail.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Master 4’s sensor remains unchanged, still providing smooth and accurate tracking on virtually any surface, with a maximum DPI of 8,000.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
  • On a team that has allowed the league’s most sacks, McCarthy must learn from QBs like Aaron Rodgers, still the league’s fastest passer and one of its most accurate.
    Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on close

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!