1
as in coming up
to come near or nearer
the eagle closed in on its prey
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in darkening
to grow dark
with evening closing in we knew we had to find shelter fairly soon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of closing in
With Kyiv under heavy bombardment and Russia closing in, European leaders feared the worst.
—
Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Anthropic’s Claude has taken off in the enterprise while OpenAI’s ChatGPT has hit big with the masses, closing in on a billion users.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Chris Cotillo of MassLive first tweeted the sides were closing in on a deal.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
After going two sets up, Alcaraz was closing in on the final before pulling up midway through the third set with what looked like muscle cramps.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Also this week, Chipotle started a PAC, restaurants in Minnesota are closing in protest of ICE raids, and more.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
By March 2025, stores had already begun closing in downtown Brooklyn and Long Island.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Bjoern Wylezich/Getty Images Gold prices have surged to unprecedented levels in recent years and the precious metal's rally is only continuing, with the price of gold currently closing in on yet another record high.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Now the airport is closing in on 6,000.
—Chase Jordan
updated November 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Anthropic’s Claude has taken off in the enterprise while OpenAI’s ChatGPT has hit big with the masses, closing in on a billion users.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Chris Cotillo of MassLive first tweeted the sides were closing in on a deal.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
After going two sets up, Alcaraz was closing in on the final before pulling up midway through the third set with what looked like muscle cramps.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Also this week, Chipotle started a PAC, restaurants in Minnesota are closing in protest of ICE raids, and more.
—Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
By March 2025, stores had already begun closing in downtown Brooklyn and Long Island.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Bjoern Wylezich/Getty Images Gold prices have surged to unprecedented levels in recent years and the precious metal's rally is only continuing, with the price of gold currently closing in on yet another record high.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Now the airport is closing in on 6,000.
—Chase Jordan
updated November 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closing in
Verb
-
That’s coming up next, after this short break.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The most important event is coming up May 2-10.—
Sarah Hepola,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The image was captured shortly after Earth's curved inner shadow began its slow journey across the lunar disk, darkening the lunar seas sprawling across the western portion of its surface.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Smoke from the fire could be seen from miles away, darkening the sky.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
With desert cities like Phoenix and Tucson bracing for their allotments of Colorado River water to be slashed dramatically, San Diego County’s water agency could for the first time sell some of its water to other states by drawing on its ample supplies from the nation’s largest desalination plant.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Watt, drawing on his own years of experience, offered more perspective.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ryan Gosling headlines Miller and Phil Lord’s film adaption of Andy Weir’s 2021 book of the same name, which centers on a school teacher turned astronaut tasked with stopping a mysterious entity from blacking out the sun.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
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Any new rules and regulations proposed by the FCC that restrict leagues from paywalling, locally blacking out or spreading live sports content across numerous channels and apps could be challenged in court.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Oil storage tanks are filling up across the region, analysts say, since exports have all but stopped due to the Iranians effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The White Bicycle Plan, created by the countercultural Provo movement in 1960s Amsterdam, proposed closing the city center to cars as part of an effort to curb pollution and improve people’s experience of public space.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Those cuts are now baked into the base budgets for agencies, and lawmakers will vote on them in the coming weeks.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
-
When the scam fell apart amid regulatory and legal scrutiny late last decade, the resulting scandal rocked the nascent green energy sector, coming several years after another California firm, Solyndra, collapsed after receiving a half-billion-dollar loan guarantee from the federal government.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Spring is approaching, and the outdoors is starting to look inviting instead of dreary after a dark, chilly winter.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Mar. 2026
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Communities have used loud sirens to warn people about approaching storms, tsunamis and tornadoes, but now some activists in Los Angeles are using sirens to warn about immigration agents.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Once called ''the funniest woman on TV,'' Catherine O'Hara spends much of her time these days bellying up against a snooker table at the Squeeze Club, a Toronto juice bar and pool hall.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
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Across the river, Le Crocodile at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn brings a stylish, approachable scene for bellying up and indulging in sexy French cuisine.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Closing in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closing%20in. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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