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
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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.
But she added the community was "close knit" and the family were a "big part of the community" so people would rally around and support them.
From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026
It was a tightly packed, close knit neighborhood, and it's still well preserved.
From Scientific American • Nov. 2, 2023
He described the community as a close knit one where people from several religious backgrounds “coexist peacefully.”
From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2022
“We’re a very close knit community on this street. We all know each other and we all love each other. It’s hard to see this happen to all of us.”
From Seattle Times • Dec. 31, 2021
Of course!” cried Murray; and the man shut his eyes close, knit his brow, and then began to mutter in a low tone, much to the midshipman’s surprise.
From Hunting the Skipper The Cruise of the "Seafowl" Sloop by Piffard, Harold
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.
