closely B1 Topic:Space, Position & Direction US /ˈkləʊsliː/ See IPA manual Freq #4388 Meanings 1 adv In a careful, attentive way. The doctor watched the patient closely for any change. 2 adv In a way that shows a strong connection or similarity. Finnish and Estonian are closely related languages. 3 adv Very near in space or time. The two events were closely timed. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adv · in a careful, attentive way. tight 2 adv · in a way that shows a... nearly Common collocations closely knit Adverb + adjective Etymology AI details From close + -ly. Topics Space, Position & Direction External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # closely **Type:** Word **Level:** B1 **Part of speech:** adv **IPA (US):** /ˈkləʊsliː/ **Frequency rank:** 4388 ## Meanings 1. In a careful, attentive way. 2. In a way that shows a strong connection or similarity. 3. Very near in space or time. ## Examples - The doctor watched the patient closely for any change. - Finnish and Estonian are closely related languages. - The two events were closely timed. ## Etymology From close + -ly. ## AI Etymology Closely is from close plus -ly. The suffix -ly recasts close as an adverb: the lexical idea remains recognizable, but the word now describes manner, degree, or circumstance rather than naming the quality by itself. In use as an adverb, closely denotes in a careful, attentive way, in a way that shows a strong connection or similarity, and very near in space or time. Typical contexts include “The doctor watched the patient closely for any change” and “Finnish and Estonian are closely related languages”. ## Topics - Space, Position & Direction markdown