CLOSE-IN Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

close in 1 of 2

verb

ˈklōz-

Definition of close in

as in to close

to come near or nearer the eagle closed in on its prey

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to darken

to grow dark with evening closing in we knew we had to find shelter fairly soon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

close-in

2 of 2

adjective

as in convenient

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 in

Adjective

For city fishers at close-in locations, following a few guidelines will help protect the water, its fish and the overall tradition for future generations, experts said. — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 2 June 2026 The close-in Washington suburbs are home to a handful of beautiful private clubs — all of them expensive. — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 15 May 2026 Over several hours, the American warships and supporting aircraft mounted a layered defense, firing their five-inch naval guns and their close-in weapon systems known as CIWS, officials said. — James Laporta, CBS News, 7 May 2026 The Bulwark is the tank of the party and focuses on close-in combat. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for close in

Recent Examples of Synonyms for close in

Verb

Connected information can help close that gap by allowing organizations to identify patterns and engage customers before an issue becomes a larger business problem.

— Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The account the VanDoeselaars wired the money to has since closed, the couple said.

— Emily Elconin for CNN, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of close

Verb

Some woods are very photosensitive, like cherry and walnut, but cherry darkens with sun exposure while walnut fades.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026
China’s growth target is already its lowest since 1991, and the economic picture is darkened further by a real estate downturn that is straining local government finances and undercutting spending capacity, Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of darken

Adjective

Not The Odeon—though The Odeon is still a perfect restaurant and just a convenient stroll away from the Tribeca gallery network.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026
Book These Amtrak Routes Each journey offers scenic and convenient access to premier leaf peeping destinations in the US and Canada.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of convenient

Verb

Warranty obligations, supply chain disruption, contractual risks, reputational costs and other company-specific exposures may come with limited capacity, restrictive terms or pricing that makes conventional transfer unattractive.

— Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The family brunch also comes with pitchers of sangria or mimosas.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of come

Verb

With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers.

— Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026

Definition of dusk

Adjective

Hugo Weaving’s Frank Harkness, the nefarious birth father of agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowdon), also makes an appearance, and the trailer previews plenty of explosions, shootouts and even hand-to-hand combat.

— Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
At this point, the owners and the union are merely sparring, lobbing jabs back and forth without really engaging in true hand-to-hand combat.

— Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of hand-to-hand

Verb

Backup quarterback Drew Lock said the praise for the high-flying Rams hasn’t come up a lot in Seattle’s locker room.

— Andrew Destin, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Brown and Martin each wrote part of the new song, while Martin and Helms came up with new jokes to replace the old-timey ones from the Stanleys’ bit.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of come up

Adjective

This is where a little creativity in approach comes in handy.

— Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026
Amazon has marked down thousands of travel essentials, from cozy clothing and comfortable shoes to durable luggage, travel bags, and handy accessories that make getting from point A to point B a little easier.

— Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of handy

Browse Nearby Words

close-grained

close in

close-in

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Close in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close%20in. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of close in

verb

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

watershed

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes