close-by
Americanadjective
Usage
What does close-by mean? Close-by describes someone or something that is physically near, as in The coffee shop close-by my office is always crowded, so I walk a few more blocks to get coffee. What is considered close-by is highly subjective. For example, if most restaurants are a 15-minute drive away from you, a restaurant that is only 2 minutes away is close-by in comparison. If you usually walk at least 20 minutes to get anywhere, then a place that is only 5 minutes away is close-by. Close-by is also used to describe something as accessible. Keeping something close-by means keeping it within reach or in the same general area. For example, you might keep your mobile phone close-by your person, such as in a purse or bag, so that you can quickly grab it. Close-by is sometimes spelled closeby. Example: If you need to pick up more nails, I think there’s a hardware store close-by.
Etymology
Origin of close-by
First recorded in 1620–30
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.
Locals have taken to praying by the sports center in the close-by city of Crotone, where coffins sit, waiting for burial.
From New York Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
Other close-by trails wend past waterfalls, huge Douglas fir trees in this Valley of the Giants and what’s been called the world’s largest Sitka spruce.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 8, 2023
The source added Chinese boats repeatedly "pressed" into the unofficial buffer, while Taiwan's navy stayed close-by to monitor the movements.
From Reuters ● Aug. 7, 2022
Linking close-by cities with an upgraded line will have a higher economic impact, the National Infrastructure Commission said.
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2020
When I said I was a traveler they gave me a million ideas of where to go, though I don’t think any of them had been far from those close-by valleys themselves.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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.
