close quarters

plural noun

: immediate contact or close range
fought at close quarters

Examples of close quarters in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The occasional stomach bug or respiratory infection may be more likely among people who have to stay in close quarters with large groups. Jen Christensen, CNN, 27 Sep. 2024 At the Stade Louis II on Thursday night, however, a poor pass from Marc-Andre ter Stegen from close quarters resulted in Eric Garcia being red carded as the last man to commit a foul and meant that the Catalans were on the back foot for over 80 minutes with 10 men. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 Other social insects that live in close quarters engage in similar practices. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2024 Displaced families are living in close quarters in temporary camps, without adequate access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, nutrition and medical care — optimal conditions for deadly disease outbreaks. Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for close quarters 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'close quarters.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of close quarters was in 1809

Dictionary Entries Near close quarters

Cite this Entry

“Close quarters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20quarters. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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