close-knit

adjective

ˈklōs-ˈnit How to pronounce close-knit (audio)
Definition of close-knitnext
as in friendly
bound together by feelings of very close association a close-knit family that constantly keeps in touch

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 close-knit There were many kinds of shtetls, depending on their geographic and political context, but all were characterized by having a concentrated and close-knit Jewish settlement. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 June 2026 Her family was, and is, close-knit. — Andre Mouchard, Daily News, 9 May 2026 Local neighborhoods are so close-knit that everyone knows each other, said Allison Buell, a teacher and coach in Hammond. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026 Leading this loud and lovingly close-knit multigenerational family is Suga Mama (Jo Marie Payton), the feisty grandma and matriarch. — Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for close-knit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for close-knit
  1. friendly
  2. clannish
  3. cliquish
  4. familiar
  5. cliquey
  6. close
  7. intimate
Adjective
  • Baleaf consistently nails budget-friendly performance wear, and these capris are no exception.
    — Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Give a basic kitchen island a custom look with a few easy (and budget-friendly) updates.
    — Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • The Machine was lambasted, fairly, for its clannish coördination and its efforts to keep Democratic politics in a certain mainstream style.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • In the Middle Ages, local churchgoers whispered of clannish Jews poisoning wells to kill Christian children and steal their blood for their rituals.
    — Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of clannish
Adjective
  • Whitehead wanted to write, but workshops rejected him and the cliquish undergraduate literary scene put him off.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
Definition of cliquish
Adjective
  • The point is to make the brand’s Parisian identity travel throughout its 56 markets without turning it into a collection of familiar cues and clichés.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the campaign video, Kelce arrives at New York’s iconic The Plaza Hotel and greets a few familiar A-list faces before heading to his room to relax with an adorable, fluffy white dog.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • The middle daughter of the family has always felt outside of its cliquey confines, what with Lizzy and Jane forming such a pair and Kitty and Lydia (Molly Wright and Grace Hogg-Robinson) practically sharing a brain.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
  • The Friends set was notorious for being cliquey and insular.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of cliquey
Adjective
  • California Cruise is even closer than expected, with deliveries slated to begin next year.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The success of this trial was possible through the close and constructive cooperation between the participating German Air Force organisations, the exercise management team and the expert teams from Rheinmetall Air Defence and Hensoldt.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • With Diane Lane narrating from Eleanor’s journals during that time, Making Marie Antoinette transcends a behind-the-scenes special and becomes a much more intimate look into the artistry of a mother and daughter in conversation with each other.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • And given the intimate size of the hotel, expect to drink a few too many G&Ts with them once evenings swing around.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of intimate

Browse Nearby Words

close in (on)
close-knit
closely
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Close-knit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/close-knit. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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