close-knit

adjective

ˈklōs-ˈnit How to pronounce close-knit (audio)
Definition of close-knitnext
as in friendly
bound together by feelings of very close association a close-knit family that constantly keeps in touch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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-knit Her family was, and is, close-knit. — Andre Mouchard, Daily News, 9 May 2026 Local neighborhoods are so close-knit that everyone knows each other, said Allison Buell, a teacher and coach in Hammond. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026 Leading this loud and lovingly close-knit multigenerational family is Suga Mama (Jo Marie Payton), the feisty grandma and matriarch. — Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 6 Apr. 2026 The family is close-knit, intrusive, rude and menacing. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for close-knit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close-knit
  1. friendly
  2. clannish
  3. cliquish
  4. familiar
  5. cliquey
  6. close
  7. intimate
Adjective
  • Organizers promoted the event as a family-friendly space with an Easter egg hunt and horse rides for children, according to the statement.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • There was a June 1977 friendly in Buenos Aires where punches were thrown and players were ejected.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • The Machine was lambasted, fairly, for its clannish coördination and its efforts to keep Democratic politics in a certain mainstream style.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • In the Middle Ages, local churchgoers whispered of clannish Jews poisoning wells to kill Christian children and steal their blood for their rituals.
    — Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of clannish
Adjective
  • Whitehead wanted to write, but workshops rejected him and the cliquish undergraduate literary scene put him off.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Definition of cliquish
Adjective
  • Men’s European Championship 2024 Spain versus England is becoming quite familiar in finals.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Blending the vintage style of a Mary Jane shoe with the modern, casual style of a trainer, these shoes shine with their unique but familiar design.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2026
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • The middle daughter of the family has always felt outside of its cliquey confines, what with Lizzy and Jane forming such a pair and Kitty and Lydia (Molly Wright and Grace Hogg-Robinson) practically sharing a brain.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
  • The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of cliquey
Adjective
  • Even though talks with the Boston Red Sox at last year’s deadline never got close, the confusion provided by an incorrect tweet announcing Ryan’s trade to New England put the pitcher at the top of every trade list before the season even began.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • Ashley Smith is the manager of player engagement for the NFL, and the siblings are close.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • Its ships have hundreds of rooms and suites—not thousands—and slip into harbors that megaships cannot reach, keeping shore days intimate enough that the market vendor, the guide, and the lunch that follows feel like part of the same long afternoon.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • The dining room is intimate, so reservations are strongly recommended, and Monday nights are dedicated to Charlotte’s hospitality workers.
    — Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Definition of intimate

Browse Nearby Words

close in (on)
close-knit
closely
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Close-knit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close-knit. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All