Close on Meaning in English
expression
ˈkɫoʊs/, /ˈkɫoʊz/ /ˈɑn/, /ˈɔn
KLOHS on
kləʊz/ /ˈɒn
KLOHZ on
Definition
'Close on' is used before an amount, number, or time to mean 'almost' or 'nearly'. It shows that something is just under or very near a certain point.
Usage & Nuances
'Close on' is mostly British English and used in formal or semi-formal contexts, often with numbers: 'close on 100 people'. It always comes before the number/amount. In American English, 'nearly' or 'almost' is more common.
Spanish: casi - cerca dePortuguese (BR): quase - perto dePortuguese (PT): quase - perto deChinese (Simplified): 将近 - 接近Chinese (Traditional): 將近 - 接近Hindi: लगभग - करीबArabic: ما يقارب - قريب منBengali: প্রায় - কাছাকাছিRussian: почти - околоJapanese: ほぼ - もう少しでVietnamese: gần - gần nhưKorean: 거의 - 가까이Turkish: neredeyse - yaklaşıkUrdu: تقریباً - لگ بھگIndonesian: hampir - mendekati
Example Sentences
There were close on fifty people at the meeting.
basic
She has lived here for close on twenty years.
basic
The repairs took close on three hours to finish.
basic
It’s been close on a decade since I last saw him.
natural
We waited close on an hour before the bus arrived.
natural
That book cost me close on thirty pounds—pretty expensive!
natural