closely

closely — adverb

1. Used to describe a direct, strong connection between people, organisations, or t

1.adverbB2
Definition

Used to describe a direct, strong connection between people, organisations, or things — whenever two sides cooperate, are linked by family, or influence one another in significant ways

Example

The two research teams worked closely together on the vaccine project for two years.

collocation: work closely together

Aiko's family has been closely connected to the local temple through four generations.

collocation: closely connected to [organisation]

Common collocations
  • work closely
  • closely related
  • closely connected
  • closely linked
  • closely associated
  • closely tied
Synonyms
  • intimately

    stronger emotional or personal tone; less common in professional contexts

  • directly

    focuses on the absence of intermediaries rather than the strength of the relationship

  • tightly

    emphasises that the connection leaves little room for separation; more informal

Antonyms
  • loosely

    describes a weak or distant connection

Grammar Patterns

closely + verb (work, cooperate)

closely + past participle (related, connected, linked)

Usage Note

Frequently used with verbs of cooperation (work, collaborate) and adjectives or past participles that describe connections (related, connected, linked, tied, associated).

Common Mistakes

The two teams worked close together on the project.
The two teams worked closely together on the project.
use 'closely' (adverb), not 'close' (adjective), to modify the verb 'worked'.

2. with your full attention on every small detail, especially when you are watching

2.adverbC1
Definition

with your full attention on every small detail, especially when you are watching, listening to, or checking someone or something

Example

The detective examined the photograph closely but found nothing unusual.

collocation: examine closely

Yara watched her toddler closely as he took his first steps across the room.

collocation: watch closely

Common collocations
  • watch closely
  • examine closely
  • look closely at
  • listen closely
  • follow closely
  • study closely
  • observe closely
Synonyms
  • carefully

    broader meaning; 'closely' adds a sense of sustained, detailed focus

  • attentively

    more formal; emphasises listening or watching with concentration

  • minutely

    formal; suggests examining the smallest parts; less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • casually

    without serious attention or effort

Grammar Patterns

closely + verb of perception (watch, examine, listen, study, follow)

Usage Note

Commonly paired with sensory or analytical verbs: watch, look, examine, study, listen, follow, read, observe. It signals a higher level of care than the base verb alone would convey.

Common Mistakes

Please look close at the instructions.
Please look closely at the instructions.
'closely' is the adverb form required to modify the verb; 'close' as an adverb is only used in physical distance contexts ('stay close').

3. So similar that only tiny differences exist among people, groups, or items — to

3.adverbB2
Definition

So similar that only tiny differences exist among people, groups, or items — to the extent that they seem nearly identical in appearance, quality, or final result

Example

The new smartphone model closely resembles last year's version.

collocation: closely resemble

Both candidates' education policies closely match each other on charter schools.

Common collocations
  • closely resemble
  • closely match
  • closely follow
  • closely mirror
  • closely contested
  • closely fought
  • closely related in appearance
Synonyms
  • almost exactly

    used before verbs like match or resemble; more informal

  • nearly

    focuses on approximation rather than small remaining difference

  • faithfully

    implies intentional imitation or following a model

Grammar Patterns

closely + verb of comparison (resemble, match, follow)

closely + past participle (matched, related)

Usage Note

Often used with verbs of comparison (resemble, match, mirror, follow) and in competitive contexts (closely contested, closely fought, closely matched). Also appears with adjectives like comparable and analogous.

Common Mistakes

The two fabrics are close similar.
The two fabrics are closely similar.
'closely' is the adverb needed to modify the adjective 'similar'; 'close' is an adjective, not an adverb here.

4. Done with active effort to keep information hidden or to limit knowledge to a ve

4.adverbB2
Definition

Done with active effort to keep information hidden or to limit knowledge to a very small group — for instance, when plans, documents, or identities are carefully shielded from outsiders

Example

The general kept the battle plans closely guarded inside a steel safe.

collocation: closely guarded

The film studio held the sequel details closely, revealing nothing to journalists.

Common collocations
  • closely guarded
  • closely held
  • closely protected
  • closely kept
Synonyms
  • secretly

    broader; can mean simply without others knowing, not necessarily with active guarding

  • covertly

    formal; used for military or intelligence contexts

  • tightly

    more informal; used with 'held' or 'guarded' to stress zero access

Antonyms
  • openly

    without secrecy or restriction

Grammar Patterns

closely + past participle (guarded, held, kept, protected)

Usage Note

Almost always used with past participles in the pattern 'closely + past participle' (guarded, held, kept, protected, watched). Less common with active verb forms. The sense implies deliberate effort to restrict access, not just natural privacy.

5. with very little physical space or time between two or more things — so that the

5.adverbC1
Definition

with very little physical space or time between two or more things — so that they are almost touching or happen almost at the same moment

Example

The two earthquakes occurred closely together, separated by just six hours.

collocation: closely together (time)

Rashida stayed closely behind the lead runner throughout the entire marathon.

collocation: closely behind [someone]

Grammar Patterns

closely + adverb of position (together, behind)

closely + verb of movement (follow, pack)

Usage Note

Often appears in fixed pairings: closely together, closely behind, closely after. Distinguish from sense 3 (SIMILAR): 'closely followed' in this sense means physical proximity, not imitation.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These four words overlap with the RELATIONSHIP sense of 'closely' but carry distinct shades. 'Intimately' suggests a deep personal or emotional bond ('the two families were intimately connected by marriage'), while 'closely' is neutral and works for professional, familial, or causal links alike. 'Tightly' implies a connection that allows little separation ('the departments were tightly integrated'), but it sounds more informal and often describes structure rather than relationship. 'Directly' focuses on the absence of intermediaries ('she reports directly to the CEO'), so it works only when the connection is immediate. 'Strongly' describes the intensity of influence ('diet is strongly linked to health'), placing emphasis on impact rather than closeness. In professional writing, 'closely' is the safest choice for most contexts; use 'intimately' for personal bonds, 'directly' for reporting lines or causal chains, and 'tightly' for structural integration.

intimatelytightly ↗directly ↗strongly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • closely related issues
  • closely watched race
  • closely guarded secret
  • closely followed news

Adverbs

  • very closely
  • quite closely
  • most closely
  • far more closely
  • so closely

Phrases

  • work closely with
  • look closely at
  • listen closely to
  • follow closely behind
  • packed closely together

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the adjective 'close' (from Old French 'clos', meaning 'shut, enclosed, confined', which came from Latin 'clausus', the past participle of 'claudere' meaning 'to shut or close') plus the adverbial suffix '-ly'. The meaning shifted from the physical sense of 'shut in' or 'nearby' to broader abstract senses of connection, attention, and secrecy from the 16th century onward.