1 C1 formal
To agree to a deal or accept an offer in a business or negotiation context.
"After weeks of negotiations, they finally closed with the buyer on a satisfactory price."
inseparable
close with
C1 formal inseparable transitive
To agree on a deal or terms with someone; or in military use, to move close enough to an enemy to engage in combat.
In plain English
To finish making an agreement with someone, or in old military language, to move very close to the enemy to fight.
What does "close with" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 formal
In military contexts: to move close enough to an enemy force to engage in direct combat (archaic/historical).
"The infantry was ordered to close with the enemy at dawn and drive them from the ridge."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To come close ('close') and engage ('with') someone or something directly.
Actually means
To finish making an agreement with someone, or in old military language, to move very close to the enemy to fight.
Usage tip
The business/negotiation sense is formal and found in legal and commercial contexts. The military sense is largely archaic but appears in historical texts. Learners may also encounter it in the sense of concluding a letter or speech with a particular statement.
Words that pair with "close with"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
deal offer terms enemy letter speech
How to conjugate "close with"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
close with
I/you/we/they
3rd person
closes with
he/she/it
Past simple
closed with
yesterday
Past participle
closed with
have + pp
-ing form
closing with
continuous
Hear "close with" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "close with" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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