close quarters

American  

[klohs] / kloʊs /

noun

1. a small, cramped place or position.

2. direct and close contact in a fight.

   They met at close quarters, exchanging many quick jabs.

---

close quarters British  

/ kləʊs /

plural noun

1. a narrow cramped space or position

2. 1. engaged in hand-to-hand combat

   2. in close proximity; very near together

---

Etymology

Origin of close quarters

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

Infections are a risk on cruises given the close quarters.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Mpox is unlikely to spread through casual contact, or in close quarters like on a plane or in an office or store, state health officials say.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

“Anytime you have a gathering of kids in close quarters, you risk sharing germs,” says Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician in Rochester, New York.

From Slate • Jan. 9, 2026

Many remembrances circulating since Reiner’s shocking murder cite the significance of Meathead and Archie Bunker’s commitment to coexist, however uncomfortable that was in such close quarters.

From Salon • Dec. 21, 2025

In these close quarters, I was unable to back up without the risk of ensnaring myself in the ropes or breaking my ankle in one of the gaps between the floorboards.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros