Idioms are fun phrases where the words together have a different meaning than what they say one by one. People use them to make conversation more colorful, interesting, and descriptive. In this article, you will learn fifty different idioms that all relate in some way to being close to something or someone.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean close. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Close
1. Close at hand
Definition: Near in position or easy to reach quickly.
Used in a Sentence: Keep your umbrella close at hand because it looks like rain. / The extra pencils are always close at hand in the top drawer.
Similar Expressions: Within reach / Nearby
2. Close to home
Definition: Affecting someone personally or touching on a sensitive subject.
Used in a Sentence: The story about the lost puppy hit very close to home for Leo. / Her speech about saving the environment was so good it felt close to home.
Similar Expressions: Personal / Striking home
3. By the skin of one’s teeth
Definition: Barely succeeding or escaping a situation by a very narrow margin.
Used in a Sentence: Mark passed the difficult math test by the skin of his teeth. / The basketball team won the game by the skin of their teeth in the final second.
Similar Expressions: Barely / Narrowly
4. Down to the wire
Definition: Lasting until the very last moment before a conclusion or deadline.
Used in a Sentence: The science fair project was finished right down to the wire on Sunday night. / The election for class president went down to the wire.
Similar Expressions: At the last minute / Neck and neck
5. Within a hair’s breadth
Definition: Extremely close to a specific point or outcome.
Used in a Sentence: The racing car came within a hair’s breadth of hitting the wall. / She was within a hair’s breadth of winning the grand prize.
Similar Expressions: Extremely close / Barely missing
6. At arm’s length
Definition: Keeping a cautious distance from someone or something.
Used in a Sentence: Sam kept the stray cat at arm’s length until he knew it was friendly. / It is smart to keep suspicious strangers at arm’s length.
Similar Expressions: At a distance / Aloof
7. Hand in glove
Definition: Working very closely together with someone in a partnership.
Used in a Sentence: The detective and his partner worked hand in glove to solve the mystery. / The art teacher and the music teacher worked hand in glove for the school play.
Similar Expressions: In cahoots / Closely aligned
8. Side by side
Definition: Right next to each other physically or working together cooperatively.
Used in a Sentence: The two friends walked side by side down the hallway. / They worked side by side to clean up the park.
Similar Expressions: Shoulder to shoulder / Next to each other
9. Cheek by jowl
Definition: Very close together or crowded tightly side by side.
Used in a Sentence: The books were packed cheek by jowl on the overflowing shelf. / The people sat cheek by jowl on the crowded bus.
Similar Expressions: Packed tightly / Crammed together
10. In the ballpark
Definition: Being very close to an accurate guess, estimate, or goal.
Used in a Sentence: Your guess for how many jellybeans are in the jar is in the ballpark. / The repair cost is high, but it is in the ballpark of what we expected.
Similar Expressions: Close estimate / Roughly correct
11. Right on the money
Definition: Being completely accurate or precise about something.
Used in a Sentence: Anna’s prediction about the game score was right on the money. / His description of the missing bicycle was right on the money.
Similar Expressions: Spot on / Exact
12. Walking distance
Definition: Close enough to travel to on foot without needing a car or bus.
Used in a Sentence: Thankfully, the grocery store is within walking distance of our house. / Our school is a short walking distance from the public library.
Similar Expressions: Nearby / A short walk
13. A stone’s throw
Definition: A very short distance away.
Used in a Sentence: My best friend lives just a stone’s throw away from my front door. / The beach is only a stone’s throw from our hotel room.
Similar Expressions: Very close / A short distance
14. Breath down someone’s neck
Definition: Watching someone too closely and pressuring them constantly.
Used in a Sentence: It is hard to do homework when your older sibling is breathing down your neck. / The manager kept breathing down our necks while we cleaned the store.
Similar Expressions: Pressuring / Watching closely
15. In someone’s hip pocket
Definition: Being completely controlled or influenced by someone else.
Used in a Sentence: The lazy player acted like he was in the coach’s hip pocket. / Do not let bad habits keep you in their hip pocket.
Similar Expressions: Under control / Influenced
16. On the heels of
Definition: Happening immediately after something else.
Used in a Sentence: Spring arrived right on the heels of a very cold winter. / The puppy ran into the yard right on the heels of its mother.
Similar Expressions: Immediately following / Right after
17. Close shop
Definition: To stop running a business or end an activity for the day.
Used in a Sentence: The bakery decided to close shop early because all the bread sold out. / Let us clean up our crafts and close shop for today.
Similar Expressions: Shut down / Finish up
18. Nail down
Definition: To make something certain, secure, or firmly decided.
Used in a Sentence: We need to nail down our vacation plans before tickets sell out. / Mia helped nail down the details for the birthday party.
Similar Expressions: Secure / Finalize
19. Tighten the belt
Definition: To spend less money and live more closely within a budget.
Used in a Sentence: Our family had to tighten our belts after buying a new car. / The club had to tighten its belt to save money for new sports gear.
Similar Expressions: Cut back / Save money
20. Lock horns
Definition: To come into close conflict or argument with someone.
Used in a Sentence: The two brothers locked horns over who got to play the video game first. / Competitors often lock horns during the science fair.
Similar Expressions: Argue / Clash
21. In deep water
Definition: Being in a difficult or close-to-failing situation.
Used in a Sentence: Tim was in deep water when he forgot to study for his final exam. / Failing to turn in projects puts a student in deep water.
Similar Expressions: In trouble / In a bind
22. On the brink of
Definition: Very close to experiencing a new situation or event.
Used in a Sentence: The team was on the brink of winning their very first championship. / She felt like she was on the brink of a wonderful discovery.
Similar Expressions: On the verge of / About to
23. Up against the wall
Definition: Facing a very difficult situation with little room to move or escape.
Used in a Sentence: With only five minutes left to score, the soccer team was up against the wall. / When the deadline arrived, he was truly up against the wall.
Similar Expressions: Cornered / Trapped
24. At the eleventh hour
Definition: Happening at the very last possible moment before it is too late.
Used in a Sentence: The hero saved the day at the eleventh hour of the story. / We submitted our group report at the eleventh hour.
Similar Expressions: Last-minute / Just in time
25. Paint oneself into a corner
Definition: To create a close, restrictive problem with no easy way out.
Used in a Sentence: By making too many promises, Leo painted himself into a corner. / Don’t paint yourself into a corner by lying about your homework.
Similar Expressions: Trap oneself / Create a bind
26. In the nick of time
Definition: Happening just barely early enough to prevent a bad outcome.
Used in a Sentence: The fire truck arrived in the nick of time to put out the fire. / Ben caught the school bus in the nick of time this morning.
Similar Expressions: Just in time / Barely early enough
27. On the dot
Definition: Happening at an exact, precise time without being late.
Used in a Sentence: The movie started at seven o’clock on the dot. / Please meet me by the flagpole at noon on the dot.
Similar Expressions: Promptly / Exactly
28. Cut it close
Definition: Leaving very little extra time or space to accomplish something safely.
Used in a Sentence: We cut it close by arriving at the airport just minutes before boarding. / If you wait until tonight to study, you are cutting it close.
Similar Expressions: Cutting it fine / Barely making it
29. By a hair
Definition: Winning or missing something by the smallest possible amount.
Used in a Sentence: Liam won the running race by a hair over his friend. / The arrow missed hitting the target center by a hair.
Similar Expressions: Barely / By a narrow margin
30. Toe the line
Definition: To follow rules closely and do what is expected.
Used in a Sentence: The students learned quickly that they had to toe the line in the library. / Playing on the team means you must toe the line and practice hard.
Similar Expressions: Follow rules / Obey
31. On the button
Definition: Being completely accurate or precise in a statement or action.
Used in a Sentence: Her answer to the trivia question was right on the button. / The mechanic’s guess about the car noise was right on the button.
Similar Expressions: Spot on / Exact
32. Pocket-sized
Definition: Small enough to fit closely inside a pocket or small space.
Used in a Sentence: He carried a pocket-sized notebook to write down fun ideas. / The miniature game was pocket-sized and easy to travel with.
Similar Expressions: Tiny / Compact
33. Nestled in
Definition: Sitting comfortably and closely sheltered inside a place.
Used in a Sentence: The little cabin was nestled in the tall pine trees. / The baby bird stayed nestled in its warm nest.
Similar Expressions: Snug / Tucked away
34. Close the book
Definition: To finish something completely and stop thinking about it.
Used in a Sentence: It is time to close the book on that old argument and be friends. / The teacher told us to close the book on our science experiments.
Similar Expressions: End / Finish completely
35. Close rank
Definition: To group together tightly to protect or support one another.
Used in a Sentence: The teammates closed ranks to support their captain after a tough loss. / Family members always close ranks when someone goes through a hard time.
Similar Expressions: Stick together / Unite
36. Bound together
Definition: Connected closely by strong ties, shared goals, or friendship.
Used in a Sentence: The best friends felt bound together by their love of reading. / The chapters of the history book were bound together securely.
Similar Expressions: Connected / Linked
37. Close call
Definition: A situation where danger or failure was avoided by a very small margin.
Used in a Sentence: Slipping on the ice was a close call, but I didn’t fall. / Missing that falling branch was a real close call for us.
Similar Expressions: Narrow escape / Near miss
38. Hand to mouth
Definition: Living very closely to having nothing, spending money as soon as it is earned.
Used in a Sentence: The stray animals lived hand to mouth until the shelter rescued them. / Saving money prevents people from living hand to mouth.
Similar Expressions: Barely surviving / Living precariously
39. Shoulder to shoulder
Definition: Working closely together with others toward a common goal.
Used in a Sentence: The volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder to build the new playground. / Neighbors stood shoulder to shoulder to clean up the neighborhood street.
Similar Expressions: Side by side / Cooperatively
40. Cut corners
Definition: Doing something the easiest or cheapest way, sometimes too closely ignoring rules.
Used in a Sentence: Do not cut corners when building your model bridge, or it might break. / Baking a cake requires following every step without cutting corners.
Similar Expressions: Take shortcuts / Rush
41. Keep close tabs on
Definition: To monitor or watch someone or something very carefully.
Used in a Sentence: The zookeeper kept close tabs on the new baby panda. / My parents keep close tabs on my daily homework progress.
Similar Expressions: Watch closely / Monitor
42. Bring to a close
Definition: To bring an event, story, or project to an end.
Used in a Sentence: The principal used the microphone to bring the assembly to a close. / We need to bring our art project to a close before cleanup time.
Similar Expressions: Conclude / Finish
43. Home in on
Definition: To move toward or focus closely on a specific target.
Used in a Sentence: The hawk began to home in on its food in the grass. / Try to home in on the main idea of the story while reading.
Similar Expressions: Zero in on / Focus on
44. Zero in on
Definition: To direct all your attention closely toward a particular thing.
Used in a Sentence: The detectives decided to zero in on the missing clue. / Let’s zero in on math practice before taking a break.
Similar Expressions: Focus on / Target
45. In close quarters
Definition: Being in a very small, confined, or crowded space with others.
Used in a Sentence: Camping in a small tent means living in close quarters with your family. / The sailors lived in close quarters on the ship.
Similar Expressions: Cramped spaces / Tight quarters
46. Tight-knit
Definition: A group of people who are closely linked by strong supportive relationships.
Used in a Sentence: Our neighborhood is a tight-knit community where everyone helps each other. / The school track team is a tight-knit group of supportive friends.
Similar Expressions: Closely bonded / United
47. Locked in
Definition: Being firmly committed or closely secured to a choice or agreement.
Used in a Sentence: We are locked in to our plans for the museum trip this Saturday. / Once you submit your artwork, your choice is locked in.
Similar Expressions: Committed / Fixed
48. On the edge of your seat
Definition: Feeling very excited and close to suspense while watching something.
Used in a Sentence: The thrilling mystery movie kept everyone on the edge of their seats. / The close soccer match had the fans on the edge of their seats.
Similar Expressions: Suspenseful / Excited
49. Close shave
Definition: An idiom meaning a narrow escape from danger or trouble.
Used in a Sentence: Tripping near the open ditch was a close shave for my skateboard. / That bicycle accident was a close shave, but thankfully I wore my helmet.
Similar Expressions: Close call / Narrow escape
50. Tied up
Definition: Being too busy or closely occupied to do anything else right now.
Used in a Sentence: Dad is currently tied up on a work call in his office. / I cannot play outside right now because I am tied up helping make dinner.
Similar Expressions: Busy / Occupied
Exercise to Practice
- Keeping your backpack close at hand means it is far away and hard to find.
- If the grocery store is within walking distance, you can walk there easily without a car.
- Winning a running race by a hair means you won by a huge distance.
- A close call describes a situation where danger or trouble was barely avoided.
- Living hand to mouth means you have plenty of extra money saved in the bank.
- When friends work shoulder to shoulder, they cooperate closely on a task.
- If something is done right on the dot, it happens late and unexpectedly.
- Cutting corners means following every single rule and step with great care.
- A tight-knit community consists of people who are closely linked and supportive.
- If you are tied up, it means you are completely free with nothing to do.
- Being up against the wall means facing a very tough situation with little escape room.
- Walking cheek by jowl means standing far apart with plenty of empty space around you.
- A pocket-sized book is too heavy and large to fit inside a jacket pocket.
- When animals live in close quarters, they share a small or crowded space.
- Keeping close tabs on something means watching or monitoring it very carefully.
Answer Key
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
Conclusion
Learning idioms about being close helps you understand everyday English expressions much better. These phrases make your speaking and writing more colorful and fun to share with others. Try using one or two of these new expressions when talking with your friends or writing a story this week. Practice makes using them feel natural and exciting!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for close?
Some common idioms include close at hand, stone’s throw, and within walking distance. People use these expressions every day to talk about distance and proximity.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms make our language more expressive and fun instead of using plain words. They help paint a clear mental picture for whoever is listening or reading.
How can I remember idiom meanings?
You can practice by using them in daily sentences or drawing fun pictures for each phrase. Making up little stories helps lock the meanings in your memory.
Are idioms used in formal writing?
Idioms are usually best for casual conversation, storytelling, and friendly letters rather than strict school reports. Using them keeps your speech engaging and lively.
Can an idiom have more than one meaning?
Most idioms have one main accepted meaning, but context can slightly change how they sound in a sentence. Checking a dictionary helps confirm you are using the right definition.
