1
as in secrecy
the practice or habit of keeping secrets or keeping one's affairs secret
we tried to penetrate her strange closeness about her domestic life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in economy
the quality or practice of being overly sparing with money
rebelled against his parents' closeness with his allowance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accuracy
the quality or state of being very accurate
the body was too decomposed to estimate the time of death with any great closeness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in intimacy
the state of being in a very personal or private relationship
the closeness of their relationship was a matter of intense speculation among their coworkers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in proximity
the state or condition of being near
we were surprised by the closeness of everything to our downtown loft
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in carefulness
strict attentiveness to what one is doing
how much you get out of the sermon will depend on the closeness with which you listen to it
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 closeness
As people increasingly turn to such bots for emotional support and life advice, recent incidents have spotlighted their potential to manipulate vulnerable people by facilitating a false sense of closeness or care.
—
Angela Yang, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
In the town of White House, less than 10 miles northwest of Black River, small boats were washed ashore in a town where the economy is reliant on its closeness to the Caribbean Sea.
—Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The six are constantly in communication — a testament to their closeness after more than two years of living, training and performing with each other.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
They have been displayed before, but showing them off on Honda's home turf was a nod to the closeness of their production timing, experts told Newsweek.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
This closeness causes gravitational instability that existing planetary formation models have suggested should result in an environment unsuitable for planet formation.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
That closeness, Peters said, makes Americans prime targets for extortion, kidnapping and terror.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
The visual simplicity of mobile phone exchanges, personal photos and Fatma’s own images of her city and people, creates a sense of closeness and immediacy, drawing us into the daily reality of life under siege.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
But Trump has already indicated a willingness to meddle in the workings of media companies — and given his closeness with the Ellison clan, he’s widely expected to weigh in.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Angela Yang, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
In the town of White House, less than 10 miles northwest of Black River, small boats were washed ashore in a town where the economy is reliant on its closeness to the Caribbean Sea.
—Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The six are constantly in communication — a testament to their closeness after more than two years of living, training and performing with each other.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
They have been displayed before, but showing them off on Honda's home turf was a nod to the closeness of their production timing, experts told Newsweek.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
This closeness causes gravitational instability that existing planetary formation models have suggested should result in an environment unsuitable for planet formation.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2025
That closeness, Peters said, makes Americans prime targets for extortion, kidnapping and terror.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
The visual simplicity of mobile phone exchanges, personal photos and Fatma’s own images of her city and people, creates a sense of closeness and immediacy, drawing us into the daily reality of life under siege.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
But Trump has already indicated a willingness to meddle in the workings of media companies — and given his closeness with the Ellison clan, he’s widely expected to weigh in.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closeness
Noun
-
These houses could add a layer of secrecy to your person, so look again.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Grand juries play important roles in the criminal justice system, but the secrecy surrounding them can make their process difficult to understand.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Al-Falih emphasized his country’s long-term strategy of building supply chain resilience and energy capacity to power the digital economy of the future.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
-
To answer those questions, TIME spoke with Oppenheim and Karbler about the movie’s technical accuracy, its depiction of government response in crisis, and the global temperature on nuclear war.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After getting engaged in the pods, KB and Edmond struggled with communication and frequently argued over intimacy and off-camera behavior.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Its intimacy and its sparseness connect with a younger generation far beyond expectations, making its centrality in the Glee episode feel prescient.—
Alan Light,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Lovers of all things Tuscany will appreciate the city’s proximity to the region’s renowned wineries, rolling landscapes, and idyllic dolce far niente lifestyle.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The administrator of a study-abroad program told me about a mom who moved to France for proximity to her daughter.—
Russell Shaw,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Just as essential a consideration as carefulness for committee members, though, is speed.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The 24-year-old superstar left Sunday's contest against the Indiana Pacers with hamstring tightness.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
But then Ellis woke up on Saturday morning with back tightness.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Amazed by their radial symmetry and jewel-like skeletons, Haeckel realized that the only way to do radiolarians justice was to draw them with as much precision as possible.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Where traditional shipbuilding relied on labor and scale, the new frontier rewards autonomy, precision, and adaptability — domains where American ingenuity excels.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeness. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share