close 1 of 6

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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

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close

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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

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2
as in to close (down)
to stop the operations of the merchant will close the store if business doesn't improve

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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

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close

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adverb (1)

close

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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

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close

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noun (2)

closely

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adverb (2)

as in nearly
to a close degree closely resembling a normal outfit

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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
One of those options is St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 But a closer read shows the linguistic dance that big companies are engaged in. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
That same day, a portion of the Lytle Tunnel was closed for two hours for filming purposes, per a prior announcement from the Ohio Department of Transportation. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 9 July 2025 The Lakers rallied from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter, closing the three-game California Classic with a win over the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night at Chase Center. Micheel Alharazy, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
Adverb
The death of Bobby Jenks shocked the baseball world last week and emotions ran high on social media as ESPN caught some flak for its wording on a social media post about the late former closer. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025 The stock was only a few dollars below its June 11 close before the crash in India. Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 27 June 2025
Noun
There’s still time to take advantage of these luggage deals before Amazon Prime Day comes to a close. Jasmine Grant, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2025 Amazon’s Prime Day is rapidly coming to a close, but there are still surprisingly affordable deals to be had. PC Magazine, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for close
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
  • Doubs will attempt to do that in a crowded wide receiver room where Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks return, and rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams could be immediate contributors.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Hernandez said she is focused on winning her own reelection bid in a crowded field.
    Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • The nearest one is probably 10 kilometers upstream, then another about 20 kilometers and the furthest around 40.
    Michael Sullivan, NPR, 12 July 2025
  • Lists in hand and kids in tow, parents flock to their nearest Staples or Walmart or Target looking to grab those notebooks, binders and colored pencils that line the list.
    Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • The 2026 battle for the Senate Republicans currently control the U.S. Senate 53-47, a narrow majority that has nonetheless helped shepherd GOP priorities through Congress along party lines.
    Riley Beggin, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • Because the vehicle is so narrow, and because it would be classed as a motorcycle in most markets, Scholten envisions it being used to beat traffic congestion via lane-splitting (traveling between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic moving in the same direction).
    Ben Coxworth July 11, New Atlas, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • In this intimate experience, you are invited to share a moment of joy, a tribute to our community, or a word that defines you.
    Essence, Essence, 8 July 2025
  • But in the end, the need for intimate human connection outweighed the promise of professional opportunity.
    Sophie Okolo, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • Thus far, however, Tesla’s board has remained largely silent throughout Musk’s period of political activity.
    Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 7 July 2025
  • Half of the speech is devoted to condemning slavery, its defenders and those who remain silent in its face.
    Frederic J. Fransen, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • Shop the Asus Vivobook Go 15.6-Inch FHD Slim Laptop, which is marked down to its cheapest price of the year.
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 8 July 2025
  • With a price tag of $99.99, the half-size bottles weren’t exactly cheap by the ounce—but that didn’t prevent stocks from selling out fast, spurred by excellent word of mouth.
    David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution.
    Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011
Adjective
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 July 2025
  • All odds are accurate as of 5:00 a.m. ET on Friday.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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