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.
"We don't have a close-by beach to go to," the 20-year-old says.
From BBC
A spokesperson for the Indian Air Force told Reuters that it will "deploy comprehensive measures for integrated aerospace defence in the Delhi and close-by areas."
From Reuters
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
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
“The most intense area of drought is centered in northern Montgomery and Frederick Counties, Md., with a very strong gradient seen to very wet areas in close-by D.C.,”
From Washington Post
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.
