EN

Synonyms for close

  • adjective
  • verb
  • noun
  • adverb

Most common

near intimate immediate nigh private confidential

Synonyms by meaning

Adjective

1. Near — parsimonious; stingy

near, intimate, immediate, nigh, adjacent, warm informal, narrow, stingy, strict, proximate, approximate, careful, mean, present, exact, hot, miserly, parsimonious, ungenerous, familiar dated, hard dated

2. Private — out of the way of observation; secluded; secret; hidden

private, confidential, secretive, secluded, secret, hidden, uncommunicative

Other

tight, near-by, close-up, accurate, nice, high, fast, short, confined, snug, dense, faithful

Verb

1. Finish — to finish. To end or conclude

finish, complete, seal, stop, obstruct, block, choke, halt dated

2. Confine — to come or gather around; to enclose

confine, encompass

Other

shut, come together, conclude, stop up UK, decide, exit, shut-up, fold, clinch

Noun

1. End

end, conclusion, ending, last, termination, finale, cessation formal

Other

area, shut-down, square, wind-up, court, yard, cul-de-sac, shut-off

Adverb

just about, closely, approximately

Antonyms

open, far, far-away

All antonyms of close →

Definitions

  1. adj. 1

    Parsimonious; stingy.

  2. v. 1

    To finish. To end or conclude.

    to close a bargain;   to close a course of instruction

  3. n. 1

    An end or conclusion.

    We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.

  4. adv. 1

    In a close manner (limited contexts; more often closely). So as to leave or create little distance or space between objects.

    Please stay close together.

Related words

Word family
closeout close-fisted close-fitting close-grained close-knit closely close-minded closeness
Phrases
close up close to close shave close call close down close off close in close by

Forms

Plural
closes → ends, conclusions, endings, lasts…
Past participle
closed
e.g. closed → finished, completed, sealed, stopped…

Choose the right word

or Close?

The close man holds like a vise all that he gets.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • near How about playing catch in the vacant lot near by?
  • immediate The new medicine demonstrated an immediate effect.
  • intimate Sami had intimate knowledge of Layla's daily life.
  • nigh The loathsome Gadgols no longer dared come nigh.
  • secluded Tom told me he wanted to live on a secluded beach.
  • nice Suddenly, it started to look almost nice and warm.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
closerising
nearsteady
immediatefalling
intimaterising
nighsteady
secludedrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
end1, hot1
4 letters
last1, high1, mean1, hard1, stop1, area3, nice1, near1, fast1, shut1, warm1, yard1, seal1, exit2
5 letters
court1, short1, block1, tight1, exact2, dense1, choke1
6 letters
secret2, finish2, decide2, square1, ending2, hidden2, narrow2, strict1, finale3, clinch1, stingy2
7 letters
present2, private2, careful2, closely2, confine2, miserly3
8 letters
complete2, familiar3, accurate3, intimate3, adjacent3, faithful2, conclude2, confined2, secluded3, obstruct2
9 letters
immediate4, secretive3, encompass3, cessation3, proximate3
10 letters
conclusion3, ungenerous
11 letters
termination4, approximate4
12 letters
confidential4, parsimonious5
13 letters
approximately5
15 letters
uncommunicative

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (area3 = 3 syllables).

In other languages

Français
proche
Italiano
prossimo
Deutsch
nahe