close-knit
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of close-knit
First recorded in 1925–30
Explanation
Close-knit things are intimate, like a close-knit community where everyone knows each other's names and people look out for each other. Awww. The adjective close-knit is perfect for describing a group of people who are socially close. A close-knit neighborhood is very different from one in which people keep to themselves and don't really know each other or have much in common with their neighbors. And a close-knit family is familiar and united in their love for each other. A good way to remember this word is to think of a tightly (or closely) knitted sweater with no gaps or holes; the people of a close-knit community stick together in the same way, leaving no opportunities for someone to "fall through the cracks."
Vocabulary lists containing close-knit
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Many Meanings of Meilan
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She said they had a "very close knit community" who had endured "noise, disturbance and dust" for the last 18 months.
From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025
It was a tightly packed, close knit neighborhood, and it's still well preserved.
From Scientific American • Nov. 2, 2023
Friedkin was born in Chicago, Ill. on Aug. 29, 1935, and raised in a close knit family.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2023
And then I have a core set of friends, and a really close knit group of people who make me laugh.
From New York Times • Oct. 11, 2022
It comes from the same root as the word "sew," and means, indeed, a thread, suggesting, therefore, a close knit, consecutive chain of argument.
From The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: the Book of the Spiritual Man by Johnston, Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
