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.
Unlike in outbreaks in Texas, South Carolina and Arizona, the disease spread in Utah beyond close-knit communities to every state health district.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
It has been a period of tremendous upheaval, with many wondering what can, and should, be done to preserve the history and heritage of the close-knit community they love.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
During the earlier phase, people buried in the tomb were often members of the same extended families, suggesting close-knit groups spanning multiple generations.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2026
Michael Strain, defending, said she had moved to a close-knit community to start afresh and then developed an illness.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
The lesson of Ya-Ya and John Wesley is that small, close-knit groups have the power to magnify the epidemic potential of a message or idea.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
