Standard Lemma guide

close-knit

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /kləʊs ˈnɪt/
  • General-American: /kloʊs ˈnɪt/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪt

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a group: closely connected or linked, as by a common bond, culture, or identity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a close-knit community
  • I come from a close-knit family; we never keep secrets from one another.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tight, tight-knit, thick as thieves, coherent, cohesive, consociated, corporate, tenacious, unified, united

Antonyms: loose-knit, detached, discrete, distinct, disparate, loose, separate, sundry, unattached, unannexed, unassociated, unconnected

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

held together as by social or cultural ties

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a close-knit family
  • close-knit little villages
  • the group was closely knit

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: closely knit

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From close (“in an intimate or immediate manner”, adverb) + knit (“joined closely and firmly together”, adjective).

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 團結一致的 /团结一致的 (tuánjié yīzhì de) — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Dutch: hecht — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Finnish: läheinen — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Finnish: tiivis — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • French: soudé — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • French: uni — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • German: zusammengewachsen — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Icelandic: samrýmdur — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Indonesian: rapat — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Irish: an-dlúth — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Japanese: 団結した (danketsu shita) — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Old English: nēahfeald — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Polish: zgrany — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Polish: zżyty — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Russian: сплочённый (spločónnyj) — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Spanish: unido — of a group: closely connected or linked
  • Swedish: sammansvetsad — of a group: closely connected or linked