close 1 of 5

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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close

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adverb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

close

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noun (2)

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective close contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of close are miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, and stingy. While all these words mean "being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others," close suggests keeping a tight grip on one's money and possessions.

folks who are very close when charity calls

When can miserly be used instead of close?

The synonyms miserly and close are sometimes interchangeable, but miserly suggests a sordid avariciousness and a morbid pleasure in hoarding.

a miserly couple devoid of social conscience

Where would niggardly be a reasonable alternative to close?

Although the words niggardly and close have much in common, niggardly implies giving or spending the very smallest amount possible.

the niggardly amount budgeted for the town library

In what contexts can parsimonious take the place of close?

While in some cases nearly identical to close, parsimonious suggests a frugality so extreme as to lead to stinginess.

a parsimonious lifestyle notably lacking in luxuries

When is it sensible to use penurious instead of close?

The meanings of penurious and close largely overlap; however, penurious implies niggardliness that gives an appearance of actual poverty.

the penurious eccentric bequeathed a fortune

When could stingy be used to replace close?

In some situations, the words stingy and close are roughly equivalent. However, stingy implies a marked lack of generosity.

a stingy child, not given to sharing

Examples 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
Later in the day, Spotify (SPOT), the music streaming giant, will report its earnings after the market close, along with MARA Holdings (MARA), a key player in the cryptocurrency mining industry. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 10 Nov. 2024 At market close, tech giants Meta and Amazon had each seen shares rise about 2%. Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
Not even the detective who so quickly closed JP’s case can ignore the weird coincidence, nor the fact that this murder house definitely has more secrets to share. Caroline Framke, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024 While sentencing closed a chapter of the case, Levy argued wreckage caused by the defendant will continue to resonate. Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
Adverb
Michigan: Polls close at 8pm ET and the state passed new reforms this year to speed up vote counting after a sluggish process in 2020. Andrew Solender, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024 Florida - Polls close at 7 p.m. ET in most of the state. Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
But buckle your seatbelts and grab your hats: The rollercoaster took still another lurching turn: At the close of November 4, Trump vaulted back in front, though by a super-slim 12 EVs. Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024 As of Friday’s close, Nvidia will be the 21st most-expensive stock in the Dow, while Intel, which is being removed from the index, is the least expensive at just more than $23. Nick Wells, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for close 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close
Adjective
  • At least one woman is nominated in every rap category, including three in the crowded Best Rap Performance, a majority in Best Melodic Rap Performance, and the first woman in Best Rap Album since 2018.
    Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Fans could live there for an entire weekend with a supply of chicken wings and chips and never set foot in the crowded stadium.
    Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Our figure, which is above the leftmost bar in the chart above, is rounded down to the nearest 10,000th vote, and will be replaced by a projection informed by county estimates of remaining ballots when all counties report those figures.
    Sahana Jayaraman, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
  • In the near term, Russian nuclear warheads must be removed from any base that is close to wartime operations and bases from which Russia is launching conventional attacks.
    William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • In 2020, her poll showed Trump with a large lead in Iowa while others expected a narrow race or even a Biden win.
    Linh Ta, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris remain locked in an extraordinarily narrow fight for the presidency after each candidate spent the final hours of their campaigns trying to win over voters in key swing states.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Rather than ascending the peak itself, William opted for a more intimate experience along the coastal foothills, a scenic spot known for its sweeping ocean views and rugged terrain.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Travelers may be able to find a more intimate experience with a private guide, rather than the group tours that are common on excursions booked through a line, Smith added.
    Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Wearing a dark grey suit, Williams mostly sat silent and stared ahead as the Trans’ relatives spoke Tuesday.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Because there are typically no symptoms until the first fracture occurs, osteoporosis is considered a silent disease.
    Jianying Zhang, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • This process begins with careful curation and labeling of data before it's fed into AI models.
    Rehan Jalil, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The researchers are careful to point out that this method was intended to work only with cooperative participants.
    Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
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
  • Combining genetics with historical information and archeological evidence allows researchers to paint both a more complete and more accurate picture, and demonstrates how teamwork from different disciplines can unearth rich, complex stories.
    Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
  • This is where the LG G4 really excels, with colors that are just as accurate and much closer to covering the full digital cinema color space.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near close

Cite this Entry

“Close.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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