VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

closer

noun, adjective, adverb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈkləʊzə/
US/ˈkloʊzɚ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountablebusinessinformal

    A person whose job is to finish a deal or sale by persuading the other side to agree.

    Grammar: Pronounced with a z sound, unlike the comparative closer with a s sound.

    Patterns

    • a closer for something

    The firm hired a closer to finalize the biggest contracts.

    She is known as a closer who never loses a negotiation.

    A strong closer can turn a hesitant buyer into a customer.

  2. nouncountablesportAmerican

    A pitcher who comes into a baseball game near the end to protect a lead.

    Grammar: Used in baseball; the closer pitches in the final inning.

    Patterns

    • the team's closer

    The closer struck out the last batter to win the game.

    Their closer has saved forty games this season.

    The manager sent in his closer for the ninth inning.

  3. nouncountable

    The last item in a show, album or event, designed to end it on a strong note.

    Grammar: Often written as show closer or album closer.

    Patterns

    • an album/show closer

    The album closer is a slow piano ballad.

    Their biggest hit was the closer at every concert.

    The fireworks were a spectacular closer to the festival.

  4. adjectivecomparable

    Nearer in distance, time, relationship or degree, the comparative form of close.

    Grammar: Pronounced with a s sound: /ˈkləʊsə/, as in move closer or get closer to something.

    Patterns

    • closer to something
    • closer than something

    Our new house is closer to the school.

    The two friends grew closer over the years.

    The deadline is getting closer every day.

  5. adverbnot comparable

    At or to a smaller distance from someone or something.

    Grammar: Often follows come, move or get: come closer. The s sound is used in speech.

    Patterns

    • come closer
    • move closer to something

    Please come closer so I can hear you.

    The storm moved closer to the coast.

    She leaned closer to read the small print.

Word forms

pluralclosers

Common combinations

sales closer
The sales closer joined the final meeting.
relief closer
The team's closer is a relief pitcher.
album closer
The album closer is the best song on the record.
get closer
We are getting closer to a solution.
move closer
The audience moved closer to the stage.

Synonyms and how they differ

finisher
Finisher is a general term for someone who completes a task, while closer especially means someone who wins a final agreement.
rainmaker
A rainmaker brings in new clients and money, whereas a closer settles the deal at the end.
clincher
A clincher is a point or argument that settles a matter, while a closer is a person.
nearer
Nearer is the comparative of near and sounds a little more formal than closer in everyday speech.

Opposites

openerfarther

Word family

close verb
to shut, or to bring something to an end
closing noun
the ending of something, or the final stage of a deal
closure noun
the act of closing, or a feeling that something has been settled
closely adverb
in a near or careful way

Commonly confused: closer or closure? closer or clothes?

closer vs closure

Closure is the act of shutting something or a sense of finality, whereas a closer is a person or final item.

closer vs clothes

Clothes is the word for garments and sounds like close with a z, but it is not related to the comparative closer.

Practice

In baseball, the closer is the player who:

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “closer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words