kloʊz ɪn
neutral
intermediate
- Base verb:
- close
- Particle:
- in
- Separable:
- No
What does "close in" mean?
- To approach and surround from all sides
- To get nearer to something you are chasing
- To become shorter (days in winter)
- To feel increasingly anxious or trapped
Examples
- The police are closing in on the suspects.
- Winter is coming and the days are closing in.
- I felt like the walls were closing in on me.
- Darkness was closing in as we hurried home.
- The hunters closed in on their prey.
How to use it
'Close in on' describes approaching a target. 'The walls are closing in' is a common expression for feeling trapped or overwhelmed. Related to claustrophobia.
Similar expressions
approach
surround
near
encircle
shorten
Opposites
retreat
move away
lengthen
Related phrasal verbs
- close down
To stop operating permanently (business, factory)
- close off
To block or seal an entrance or passage
- close up
To close and lock a building at the end of the day
- get in
To enter a place, building, or vehicle
- turn in
To go to bed (informal)
- give in
To finally agree to something after refusing or resisting
Use it in a practice answer
Try "close in" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.