Meaning & use
close families
Last updated
Meaning
phraseplural
families in which members have strong, supportive relationships and spend a lot of time together.
Grammar: Use with a plural verb: close families often eat together. The singular is 'a close family'.
Patterns
- close families with children
- close families often do something
- come from close families
Close families often share meals and talk about their day.
She grew up in one of those close families where everyone helps each other.
Close families can still have disagreements, but they work through them.
Word forms
| singular | close family |
|---|
Common combinations
- close families with strong bonds
- Close families with strong bonds support each other in hard times.
- raise children in close families
- Many parents try to raise children in close families.
- close families often gather
- Close families often gather for holidays and birthdays.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tight-knit families
- Similar, but 'tight-knit' often suggests a community or group that is very united, not just emotionally close.
- loving families
- Focuses on affection rather than the strength of the bond or time spent together.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: close families or closed families?
close families vs closed families
'Closed' means shut or not open; 'close families' means emotionally connected families.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Close families' is plural, so it takes 'are', not 'is'. Option D uses 'support' as an adjective, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “close families”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.