close

an open space wholly or partly enclosed (as by buildings or walls) a garden in a close at the center of the complex Synonyms close, courtyard, enclosure (also inclosure), patio, quad, quadrangle, yardRelated Words atrium, galleria, parvis (also parvise), peristyle; forecourt, place, plaza, square; deck, terrace; curtilage

1 the stopping of a process or activity at the close of the evening Synonyms arrest, arrestment, cease, cessation, check, close, closedown, closure, conclusion, cutoff, discontinuance, discontinuation, ending, expiration, finish, halt, lapse, offset, shutdown, shutoff, stay, stop, stoppage, surcease, terminationRelated Words mop-up, phaseout; abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspensionNear Antonyms extension, persistence, prolongationAntonyms continuance, continuation

2 the last part of a process or action managed to conduct the negotiations to a satisfactory close Synonyms capper, close, closing, conclusion, consummation, end, endgame, ending, finis, finish, grand finale, home stretch, mop-up, windup, wrap-upRelated Words acme, apex, capstone, climax, copestone, coup de grâce (or coup de grace), crescendo, crown, culmination, high-water mark, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, tip-top, top, zenith; aftermath, anticlimax, coda, epilogue (also epilog), postscript; shank, tag end, tail endNear Antonyms foreword, introduction, overture, preamble, preface, prelude, prologue (also prolog)Antonyms baseline, beginning, dawn, day one, nascence, nascency, opening, start

1 having little space between items or parts the soldiers marched in close formation against the enemy Synonyms compact, crowded, dense, jam-packed, packed, serried, thick, tight Related Words crammed, jammed, overcrowded; crushed, massed, pressed, squeezed, wall-to-wall; airtight, snug; compacted, compressed, condensed, congested; firm, hard, solid; impenetrable, impermeable, impervious Near Antonyms commodious, roomy, spacious Antonyms airy, loose, open, uncrowded

2 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 close-up, immediate, near, nearby, neighboring, next-door, nigh, proximate Related Words abutting, adjacent, adjoining, bordering, contiguous; approaching, coming, forthcoming, oncoming, upcoming; accessible, convenient, handy; close-in, hand-to-hand Phrases at hand, to hand Near Antonyms divorced, removed, separated Antonyms away, deep, distant, far, faraway, far-off, remote

3 showing little difference in the standing of the competitors the election results were so close that the votes had to be recounted Synonyms down-to-the-wire, hairbreadth, narrow, neck and neck, nip and tuck, tight Related Words crowded

4 closely acquainted a small wedding ceremony that was limited to close friends Synonyms bosom, buddy-buddy, chummy, familiar, especial, friendly, inseparable, intimate, inward, near, thick, tightRelated Words clannish, close-knit, tight-knit; affable, boon, companionable, convivial, cordial, genial, gracious, hearty; gregarious, sociable, social; comfortable, cozy, easy, snug; amicable, neighborly; confidential, secretive; adoring, affectionate, dear, devoted, fond, loving, tender, tenderhearted, warmNear Antonyms aloof, antisocial, cold, cool, detached, distant, frosty, remote, reserved, standoffish, unfriendly, unsociable, withdrawnAntonyms distant

5 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 secretive, closemouthed, dark, reticent, tight-mouthed, uncommunicativeRelated Words quiet, reserved, silent, taciturn, tight-lipped; discreet, prudent; clandestine, covert, furtive, hugger-mugger, secret, sneak, sneaky, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, underhand, underhandedNear Antonyms candid, frank, honest, out-front, up-front; blunt, outspoken, tactlessAntonyms communicative, open

6 giving or sharing as little as possible the kind of folks who are very close when charity calls Synonyms cheap, chintzy, stingy, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stinting, tight, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerousRelated Words careful, chary, conserving, economical, economizing, frugal, saving, scrimping, skimping, thrifty; acquisitive, avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, desirous, grasping, greedy, hoggish, itchy, mercenary, rapacious, selfish, shabby, small, sordid; begrudging, envious, grudging, resentful; inhospitableNear Antonyms altruistic, selfless, unselfish; extravagant, free, handsome, lavish, overgenerous, profuse; beneficent, benevolent, hospitable, humanitarian, philanthropic (also philanthropical); compassionate, good-hearted, greathearted, kindly, magnanimous, openhearted; thriftless, unthrifty; dissipating, frittering, prodigal, profligate, spendthrift, splurging, squandering, wasteful, wastingAntonyms bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting

7 lacking fresh air a small room with an uncomfortably close atmosphere Synonyms breathless, stuffy, stifling, suffocatingRelated Words airless, unventilated; fuggy; heavy, oppressive, thickNear Antonyms bracing, brisk, invigorating, refreshed, refreshing, restorative, reviving, sweet; ventilatedAntonyms airy, breezy, unstuffy

8 meeting the highest standard of accuracy a close analysis of the box-office performance of action movies Synonyms accurate, precise, delicate, exact, fine, hairline, mathematical, pinpoint, refined, rigorous, spot-onRelated Words correct, right, strict, true; definite, definitive; nice, subtle; careful, fastidious, finical, finicky, meticulousNear Antonyms approximate, round; false, incorrect, untrue, wrong; careless, loose; indefinite, unclear, vague; doubtful, dubious, questionable, unreliable, untrustworthyAntonyms coarse, imprecise, inaccurate, inexact, rough

at, within, or to a short distance or time the stranded passengers drew close for reassurance Synonyms around, by, near, hard, in, nearby, nighRelated Words hereabouts (or hereabout), hereaway (or hereaways) [dialect], thereabouts (also thereabout); along, alongside; accessibly, conveniently, handily

1 to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening be sure to close the gate when you leave Synonyms make [chiefly dialect], shut, steek [chiefly Scottish] Related Words bar, batten (down), bolt, chain, fasten, latch, lock; plug, seal, stopper; secure; bang, clap, slam Near Antonyms unbar, unbolt, unchain, unfasten, unlatch, unlock, unseal Antonyms open

2 to stop the operations of the merchant will close the store if business doesn't improve Synonyms close (down), close out, shut Related Words phase out, turn off; extinguish, quell, suppress; gag, muzzle, silence; fail, fold Near Antonyms build, expand Antonyms open, start

3 to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we'll close the assembly with the singing of our national anthem Synonyms close out, complete, conclude, end, finish, round (off or out), terminate, wind up, wrap up Related Words climax, crown; consummate, perfect; halt, stop, suspend Phrases put paid to [chiefly British], ring down the curtain (on) Antonyms begin, commence, inaugurate, open, start

4 to come to an end the services closed with a short prayer Synonyms break off, break up, cease, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out)Related Words desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from); give over [British], knock off, pack (up or in); break down, conk (out), cut out, stall; pause, stay, suspend; abate, peter (out), wind downNear Antonyms draw out, extend, prolong, protractAntonyms continue, hang on, persist

5 to come near or nearer the two groups closed with each other from opposite sides of the field Synonyms belly up, approach, close in, come up, draw on, near, nighRelated Words arrive, attain, come, gain, hit, land, make, reach, show up, turn up, waltz up; creep up, sneak up; adjoin, border, touch, vergeNear Antonyms clear out, depart, exit, go, leave, light out, pull out, quit, remove, run away, shove (off), take off, walk outAntonyms back (up or away), recede, retire, retreat, withdraw