Synonyms of close
-
as in crowded 
-
as in near
-
as in narrow
-
as in intimate
-
as in silent
-
as in cheap
-
as in breathless
-
as in accurate
-
as in to shut
-
as in to close (down)
-
as in to end
-
as in to stop
-
as in to come
-
as in in
-
as in courtyard
-
as in ending
-
as in conclusion
-
Synonym Chooser
-
Example Sentences
-
Phrases Containing
-
Entries Near
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
as in to stop
to come to an end
the services closed with a short prayer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to come
to come near or nearer
the two groups closed with each other from opposite sides of the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in in
at, within, or to a short distance or time
the stranded passengers drew close for reassurance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
For more complex relief options, the IRS may take a closer look at your financial picture, including income, necessary living expenses and assets, to determine whether relief applies.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
News Desk, Artforum, 29 Jan. 2026
The Heat’s defense struggled to contain the Magic’s offense all night, as Orlando closed with 62 paint points.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Fred Imbert, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
The challenges have changed the nature of their work but have also brought them closer, Adamov explained.
—Svitlana Vlasova, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026
The firm also cut its price target to $90 from $120, implying nearly 6% downside from Tuesday's close.
—Sean Conlon,pia Singh, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for close
Adjective
The newspaper said Qatari officials played an intermediary role in the discussions, citing Rodríguez’s close personal ties with Qatar’s ruling family.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
For more complex relief options, the IRS may take a closer look at your financial picture, including income, necessary living expenses and assets, to determine whether relief applies.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Boston Globe reports that the institution had previously tried to shrink its budget by paring back its hours and exhibition schedule, closing an entrance, and raising $40 million in cash reserves.
—News Desk, Artforum, 29 Jan. 2026
The Heat’s defense struggled to contain the Magic’s offense all night, as Orlando closed with 62 paint points.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Meta Platforms is set to report earnings after the market close.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
The challenges have changed the nature of their work but have also brought them closer, Adamov explained.
—Svitlana Vlasova, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun
The soft-close handle in particular stood out—unlike other coolers whose handles fall to the ground, the Ninja’s stayed upright or slowly lowered.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026
The firm also cut its price target to $90 from $120, implying nearly 6% downside from Tuesday's close.
—Sean Conlon,pia Singh, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
-
As a candidate, Klobuchar faced stories of disgruntled Senate staffers who described her as a difficult boss but also distinguished herself on crowded debate stages as a determined pragmatist.—
Bill Barrow,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has joined the crowded field of Democrats seeking to succeed Gavin Newsom as governor of California.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
By smashing together heavy atoms of lead traveling at near-light speeds using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), scientists can create a high-energy environment that briefly frees gluons and quarks from this atomic bondage, recreating the quark-gluon plasma of the early universe.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The crossing has been under a near complete closure since Israel seized it in May 2024, saying the step was part of a strategy to halt cross-border arms smuggling by Hamas.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Starlancer was a narrower simulator in the vein of Wing Commander or X-Wing, following a linear narrative about alliances of Earth's nations battling in the void of space.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Trump has largely halted refugee admissions, with the narrow exception of White South Africans.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Both Blazy and Anderson, millennials with big brains, are yanking the fusty business of extraordinary clothes into the present – the former with a swell of empathy, and the other with a cerebral but intimate approach.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Rebecca Loos, David Beckham's former assistant, is finding comfort in Brooklyn Beckham's explosive statement about the intimate details of their family feud.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The 55-acre lot, once a silent-era movie site and later home to productions like Gilligan’s Island and Seinfeld, will be returned to lenders led by Goldman following months of unsuccessful modification talks.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The Clippers responded with a 10-0 run to open a 103-91 lead as Doncic went silent, finishing the night with just three points in the final quarter.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The older one does Warners cartoon bits, really old-fashioned, cheap-ass funny vaudeville stuff.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Amazon’s selection, however, renewed my faith in cheap-and-cheerful bottoms.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
However, in comparison to the breathless enthusiasm of previous years, the talk was centered firmly on value.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Joseph Kosinski’s big, fun, breathless racing movie, which also got into best editing, sound, and visual effects—proof that no matter how international and high-brow the Academy gets, crowd-pleasing blockbusters never go out of fashion.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The key is to start where friction is highest, whether that’s customer responses, proposals, first-pass marketing copy or product listings, and introduce a simple review checklist that defines what must be accurate, what must never be claimed, and what requires human sign-off.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
As more and more business teams incorporate LLMs into their daily workflows, responses generated must be accurate and reliable.—
Connie Etemadi,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
