1
: near a center of activity and especially a city
close-in suburbs
2
: occurring or designed for use within a narrowly limited area
close-in fighting
close-in weapons
closed in; closing in; closes in
1
: to encircle closely and isolate
2
: to enshroud to such an extent as to preclude entrance or exit
the airport was closed in by the storm
1
: to gather in close all around with an oppressing or isolating effect
despair closed in on her
2
: to approach to close quarters especially for an attack, raid, or arrest
the police closed in
3
: to grow dark
the short November day was already closing in—
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen GlasgowSynonyms
Examples of close-in in a Sentence
Verb
the eagle closed in on its prey
with evening closing in we knew we had to find shelter fairly soon
Recent Examples on the WebMargaret Jackson, The Denver Post, 11 June 2024
The close-in magnetic field squeezes on the equator of the Sun, forcing particles to eject out of the poles.
—Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 16 Apr. 2024
Sidewalks and bike trails should receive the same priority as roads in our cities and close-in suburbs, instead of being afterthoughts.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024
The main 50-megapixel lens offers a relatively new function for a smartphone, namely the variable aperture, allowing better close-in shots while also offering benefits in handling lower light levels.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for close-in 
Adjective
Golden Gate Canyon State Park: Located near Golden, the park’s 12,000-acre mountain, meadow and forest is a great choice for a close-in high-country hike.
—Margaret Jackson, The Denver Post, 11 June 2024
The close-in magnetic field squeezes on the equator of the Sun, forcing particles to eject out of the poles.
—Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 16 Apr. 2024
Sidewalks and bike trails should receive the same priority as roads in our cities and close-in suburbs, instead of being afterthoughts.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024
The main 50-megapixel lens offers a relatively new function for a smartphone, namely the variable aperture, allowing better close-in shots while also offering benefits in handling lower light levels.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for close-in
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'close-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near close-in
Cite this Entry
“Close-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close-in. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
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close in
verb
: to gather in close all around with an oppressing effect
despair closed in on her
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