closeness

noun

Definition of closenessnext
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

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2
as in economy
the quality or practice of being overly sparing with money rebelled against his parents' closeness with his allowance

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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

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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

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5
as in proximity
the state or condition of being near we were surprised by the closeness of everything to our downtown loft

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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

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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 closeness The following day, Faris joins her female costars for an interview, in which Fisher also speaks to the cast’s closeness. — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 That closeness has been especially helpful since Blanding welcomed her first baby. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026 Cue a surge in brightness, thanks to its reflective clouds and its closeness. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Mauro Mueller’s film is a quiet, poignant drama about loss, memory and the power of human closeness. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 Psychologists have documented the confidence half of this directly, in what’s known as the closeness-communication bias. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Between therapies, shifting loyalties and the unspoken truth of an impending separation, father and daughter are forced into a new closeness. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026 Rather than a sentimental image of maternal love and devotion, Cassatt depicts the sheer effort of remaining oneself within the consuming closeness of caring for one’s child. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 There have also been rumors about his closeness with Jennifer Lopez. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closeness
  1. secrecy
  2. economy
  3. accuracy
  4. intimacy
  5. proximity
  6. carefulness
  7. secretiveness
  8. tightness
Noun
  • This hermetic secrecy is how Allure beauty director Sarah Kinonen and I recently found ourselves in the bathroom of a suite in the Aman hotel on New York’s Fifth Avenue, brushing our teeth while members of the Dyson public relations team looked on.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This deal was clearly arrived at in secrecy, with no public debate, and signed under duress.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of secrecy
Noun
  • Wichai Yuankham, 35, a factory worker who came to watch the ships arrive, said the naval visit was a welcome boost to the local economy.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Everest of safety tests Meanwhile China, already the world’s largest manufacturing economy, announced its new power-bank safety standards earlier this year, and sent travelers and supply chains scrambling.
    — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of economy
Noun
  • Unilever’s reported forecast-accuracy gain and a faster acquisition screen are operational improvements.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The finding could matter for quantum computers, where lasers are used to manipulate qubits and even tiny changes in their interactions can affect the accuracy of quantum operations.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of accuracy
Noun
  • Her gaze gives both scenes an inviting intimacy, like the audience has a front-row seat to Alice letting her guard down.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The threat of the prison is that you’re targeted and unfree, packed into a queasy, pressurized intimacy with the most dangerous parts of yourself and others.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimacy
Noun
  • Tennoz’s proximity to Haneda Airport has also helped make the area one of Tokyo’s leading art destinations, attracting contemporary art collectors and enthusiasts from Japan and abroad.
    — The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In practice, American pilots will be able to detect an enemy on radar, launch the missile from extreme ranges and destroy the target before coming within close proximity to the enemy, potentially increasing the pilot's survivability.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of proximity
Noun
  • This carefulness is clearly strategic.
    — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • There was no carefulness in it.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Definition of carefulness
Noun
  • And, the school wasn’t messing around with the secretiveness of the open practice for those who either received a ticket or media members in attendance.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • McCarthy is not the first Hollywood conservative to discuss the industry’s secretiveness over Republicanism.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 19 Dec. 2025
Definition of secretiveness
Noun
  • Chase DeLauter, slowed this week by left hamstring tightness, sparked the winning rally with a one-out single off reliever Ryan Watson (1-1) in the ninth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The Toronto Blue Jays are grappling with persistent injuries, as infielder Andres Gimenez left Thursday's game with hamstring tightness, further expanding their lengthy injury list.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of tightness

Browse Nearby Words

closemouthed
closeness
close (off)
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Cite this Entry

“Closeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeness. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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