Closest
/ˈkloʊsɪst/
Definitions
2 meaningsBeing at the smallest distance.
/ˈkloʊsɪst/
Nearest in space or time.
The closest store is on the corner.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing hide-and-seek. The closest person to you is the one you can see easiest. 'Closest' means the nearest or most similar.
👶 For kids: The one that's nearest or most like something.
More Examples
That's the closest I've come to solving the puzzle.
How It's Used
"The closest gas station is two miles away."
"The closest island to the mainland is visible from the coast."
Most resembling or approximating something.
/ˈkloʊsɪst/
Most similar or nearly identical.
His opinion is the closest to mine.
💡 Simply: If you're trying to find a matching sock and find one that's almost the same, that's the closest match. It's very similar, almost identical.
👶 For kids: Almost the same as something else.
More Examples
This is the closest approximation to the real thing.
How It's Used
"This shade of blue is the closest match to the color in the picture."
From Middle English *closest, superlative of close.
The word 'closest' has consistently held its core meaning throughout history.
Memory tip
Think of being close, and 'est' means the most or to the greatest degree.