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Idioms are special phrases where the words together mean something different from what they mean on their own. People use them to make talking and writing more colorful and fun. In this article, you will learn fifty useful idioms that relate to close distance and things being near each other.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean being close, nearby, or right next to something. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Close Distance
1. A stone’s throw
Definition: A very short distance away.
Used in a Sentence: The grocery store is just a stone’s throw from our front door. / We live a stone’s throw away from the local park.
Similar Expressions: Nearby / Close by
2. Within arm’s reach
Definition: Close enough to touch with your hand.
Used in a Sentence: She kept her water bottle within arm’s reach during the test. / Make sure your safety gear is within arm’s reach before you start.
Similar Expressions: Close at hand / Reachable
3. Close at hand
Definition: Near in time or space and ready to be used.
Used in a Sentence: Keep your dictionary close at hand while you read this book. / Help was close at hand when the bicycle tire went flat.
Similar Expressions: Nearby / Handy
4. Right under your nose
Definition: In a place that is very obvious and right in front of you.
Used in a Sentence: I looked everywhere for my keys, and they were right under my nose on the kitchen counter. / The answer to the riddle was right under our noses the whole time.
Similar Expressions: In plain sight / Visible
5. In your backyard
Definition: Very close to where you live or happen to be.
Used in a Sentence: We do not need to travel far because there is a great nature trail right in our backyard. / The famous museum is right in our backyard, but we rarely visit.
Similar Expressions: Local / Nearby
6. Next door
Definition: In the house, apartment, or room immediately adjacent to yours.
Used in a Sentence: A friendly family with a cute puppy moved into the house next door. / My best friend lives just next door, so we walk to school together.
Similar Expressions: Adjoining / Adjacent
7. Cheek by jowl
Definition: Very close together or side by side.
Used in a Sentence: The small houses stood cheek by jowl along the narrow street. / The books were packed cheek by jowl on the overflowing shelf.
Similar Expressions: Side by side / Crammed together
8. Breathing down your neck
Definition: Standing very close behind you or watching everything you do in an annoying way.
Used in a Sentence: I cannot concentrate on my painting with the teacher breathing down my neck. / The deadline is tomorrow, and the boss is breathing down our necks.
Similar Expressions: Watching closely / Pressuring
9. On your doorstep
Definition: Extremely close to your home or arriving directly where you are.
Used in a Sentence: Winter weather is finally on our doorstep, so grab your coats. / Adventure is waiting right on your doorstep if you look around.
Similar Expressions: Very close / Imminent
10. Within shouting distance
Definition: Close enough to be heard if you call out.
Used in a Sentence: Stay within shouting distance so I can call you when dinner is ready. / Our tent was within shouting distance of the campsite bathrooms.
Similar Expressions: Nearby / Within earshot
11. At your fingertips
Definition: Easily available and close enough to use right away.
Used in a Sentence: With the internet, a world of knowledge is right at your fingertips. / She had all her craft supplies neatly arranged at her fingertips.
Similar Expressions: Readily available / Accessible
12. In the neighborhood
Definition: In the local area or close to a specific number or amount.
Used in a Sentence: Are you going to be in the neighborhood this afternoon? / The cost of the bicycle is in the neighborhood of fifty dollars.
Similar Expressions: Nearby / Around
13. Face to face
Definition: Close together and looking directly at each other.
Used in a Sentence: They finally met face to face after talking online for months. / It is always better to talk through a problem face to face.
Similar Expressions: In person / Directly
14. Elbow to elbow
Definition: Very crowded or close together, sharing tight space.
Used in a Sentence: We sat elbow to elbow at the crowded lunch table. / The shoppers stood elbow to elbow at the toy store counter.
Similar Expressions: Packed / Side by side
15. In plain sight
Definition: Clearly visible in an open place where anyone can see it.
Used in a Sentence: The lost glove was sitting in plain sight on the park bench. / Sometimes the best hiding spot is right in plain sight.
Similar Expressions: Visible / Out in the open
16. Within walking distance
Definition: Close enough that you can walk there easily without taking a car.
Used in a Sentence: The ice cream shop is within walking distance of our school. / We chose a hotel that was within walking distance of the beach.
Similar Expressions: Nearby / Close
17. Close quarters
Definition: A small and crowded space where people are very close to one another.
Used in a Sentence: Living in a small tent for a week means staying in close quarters. / The sailors lived and worked in very close quarters on the ship.
Similar Expressions: Tight space / Crowded area
18. At close range
Definition: From a very short distance away.
Used in a Sentence: We got to see the wild deer at close range during our hike. / The photographer took a picture of the butterfly at close range.
Similar Expressions: Up close / Nearby
19. A hair’s breadth
Definition: An extremely small distance or amount.
Used in a Sentence: The racing cars missed each other by a hair’s breadth. / Her score missed the highest prize by just a hair’s breadth.
Similar Expressions: Tiny margin / Whisker
20. Side by side
Definition: Next to each other facing the same direction.
Used in a Sentence: The two puppies walked side by side down the sidewalk. / We planted the red flowers side by side with the yellow ones.
Similar Expressions: Next to each other / Alongside
21. Hand in hand
Definition: Holding hands or working very closely together.
Used in a Sentence: The little children walked hand in hand into the museum. / Good manners and kindness go hand in hand.
Similar Expressions: Together / Closely connected
22. Toe to toe
Definition: Standing very close to an opponent or partner, ready to face them.
Used in a Sentence: The two rival players stood toe to toe before the basketball tip-off. / We had to go toe to toe with the defending champions.
Similar Expressions: Directly opposed / Facing off
23. In your face
Definition: Bold, aggressive, or very close and hard to ignore.
Used in a Sentence: The bright neon sign was right in your face as you entered the store. / His loud cheering was a bit in your face during the game.
Similar Expressions: Aggressive / Direct
24. Within earshot
Definition: Close enough to hear a sound or conversation.
Used in a Sentence: Speak quietly because the kids are within earshot. / Make sure you stay within earshot when playing in the woods.
Similar Expressions: Close enough to hear / Nearby
25. Knocking on the door
Definition: Very close to happening or arriving.
Used in a Sentence: Summer vacation is knocking on the door, so keep up the good work. / Our team is knocking on the door of the championship title.
Similar Expressions: Imminent / Approaching
26. Just around the corner
Definition: Very near in time or space.
Used in a Sentence: The library is just around the corner from the bakery. / Spring break is just around the corner, so hang in there.
Similar Expressions: Coming soon / Nearby
27. On top of each other
Definition: Extremely crowded or piled closely together.
Used in a Sentence: The books were stacked on top of each other in a wobbly tower. / The puppies slept on top of each other in a furry pile.
Similar Expressions: Stacked / Crowded
28. In the thick of it
Definition: Right in the middle of a busy or crowded situation.
Used in a Sentence: He loves being in the thick of the action on the soccer field. / We found ourselves right in the thick of the holiday shopping crowd.
Similar Expressions: In the middle / Surrounded
29. Close shave
Definition: A narrow escape from danger or a very close call.
Used in a Sentence: Missing that falling branch was a real close shave. / That car backing out too fast was a close shave for the cyclist.
Similar Expressions: Narrow escape / Close call
30. Packed like sardines
Definition: Crowded together so tightly that there is no extra room.
Used in a Sentence: We were packed like sardines on the crowded school bus. / The concertgoers stood packed like sardines near the stage.
Similar Expressions: Very crowded / Crammed
31. Up close and personal
Definition: Very near to someone or something, often in a private way.
Used in a Sentence: We got an up close and personal look at the fire truck during the school visit. / The documentary gives viewers an up close and personal view of nature.
Similar Expressions: Direct / Intimate
32. At your elbow
Definition: Standing right next to you, ready to help or watch.
Used in a Sentence: The helpful librarian was right at my elbow to guide me. / My little brother stayed at my elbow while I built the Lego set.
Similar Expressions: Right beside you / Close by
33. On the heels of
Definition: Directly following someone or something very closely.
Used in a Sentence: Spring comes right on the heels of winter. / The second runner crossed the finish line right on the heels of the leader.
Similar Expressions: Right behind / Following closely
34. In arm’s way
Definition: Close to action, though usually phrased as out of harm’s way, but close distance implies being right there. (Note: Refers to proximity of action).
Used in a Sentence: N/A / N/A
Similar Expressions: Nearby / Close to action
35. At close quarters
Definition: In a very confined or tight space with other people.
Used in a Sentence: Camping in a small dome tent puts everyone at close quarters. / The detectives worked at close quarters in the tiny office.
Similar Expressions: Tight space / Crowded
36. Within sight
Definition: Close enough to be seen with your eyes.
Used in a Sentence: Always swim where the lifeguard is within sight. / The mountain peak was finally within sight after hours of hiking.
Similar Expressions: Visible / In view
37. At the doorstep
Definition: Arriving right at the entrance or happening very soon.
Used in a Sentence: Success was finally at our doorstep after months of hard practice. / The delivery driver left the package right at the doorstep.
Similar Expressions: Right outside / Imminent
38. Breath to breath
Definition: Extremely close to someone face to face.
Used in a Sentence: They stood breath to breath during the dramatic scene in the play. / The dancers moved breath to breath across the stage.
Similar Expressions: Face to face / Very close
39. Shoulder to shoulder
Definition: Working together closely or standing side by side.
Used in a Sentence: The volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder to clean up the park. / The soldiers marched shoulder to shoulder down the parade route.
Similar Expressions: Side by side / Cooperating
40. At hand
Definition: Situated nearby or currently available for use.
Used in a Sentence: Keep your pencils ready and close at hand for the quiz. / We had plenty of snacks at hand for the long road trip.
Similar Expressions: Available / Nearby
41. In the same boat
Definition: Sharing the same close or difficult situation as someone else.
Used in a Sentence: Since we both forgot our homework, we are in the same boat. / Everyone in the class was in the same boat before the big test.
Similar Expressions: Sharing a situation / Alike
42. Within spitting distance
Definition: Very close indeed, sometimes humorously or informally.
Used in a Sentence: Our school is within spitting distance of the public library. / We are within spitting distance of finishing our group project.
Similar Expressions: Very close / Nearby
43. Underfoot
Definition: Right under your feet on the ground or in the way of movement.
Used in a Sentence: The playful kitten kept getting underfoot while I cooked dinner. / Fallen leaves were crunchy underfoot during our autumn walk.
Similar Expressions: Beneath your feet / In the way
44. Close-knit
Definition: A group of people linked together by very close social or family ties.
Used in a Sentence: Our neighborhood is a close-knit community where everyone helps out. / They are a very close-knit family who spends every weekend together.
Similar Expressions: Closely connected / Tight-knit
45. In touching distance
Definition: So close that you can reach out and touch it.
Used in a Sentence: The finish line was in touching distance as he sprinted forward. / The trophy was finally in touching distance for our team.
Similar Expressions: Very close / Reachable
46. At your side
Definition: Right next to you to support or accompany you.
Used in a Sentence: My loyal dog stayed at my side throughout the thunderstorm. / She knew her best friend would always be at her side.
Similar Expressions: Beside you / Close by
47. Huddled together
Definition: Crowded close together, often for warmth or comfort.
Used in a Sentence: The sheep huddled together in the pasture during the chilly rain. / We huddled together under one large umbrella.
Similar Expressions: Grouped closely / Crowded
48. Close ties
Definition: A strong and near relationship between people or groups.
Used in a Sentence: Our town has close ties with the neighboring city across the river. / The two sisters maintained close ties even after moving away.
Similar Expressions: Strong connection / Close relationship
49. Face-first
Definition: Moving forward so closely or eagerly that you plunge in directly.
Used in a Sentence: He dove face-first into the pile of autumn leaves. / She jumped face-first into her new art project.
Similar Expressions: Directly / Headfirst
50. Right beside you
Definition: Positioned immediately next to you in space or support.
Used in a Sentence: I will sit right beside you on the airplane. / Whenever you need help, I am right beside you.
Similar Expressions: Next to you / Close by
Exercise to Practice
- The grocery store is a stone’s throw from our front door so we walk there often.
- I looked everywhere for my keys, and they were right under my nose inside the locked garage safe.
- My best friend lives just next door, so we wave to each other from our bedroom windows.
- We sat elbow to elbow at the lonely table with three empty seats on each side.
- The ice cream shop is within walking distance of our school after the final bell rings.
- Summer vacation is knocking on the door, and we still have seven months of school left.
- The library is just around the corner from the bakery down the street.
- We were packed like sardines in the empty park with plenty of room to run around.
- The playful kitten kept getting underfoot while I tried to walk across the kitchen.
- The finish line was in touching distance as he sprinted past the other runners.
- Keep your history textbook close at hand while you answer these review questions.
- The two rival players stood toe to toe ten miles apart from each other.
- Spring comes right on the heels of winter every single year.
- Our school is within spitting distance of the moon when you look up at night.
- My loyal dog stayed at my side throughout the entire afternoon walk.
Answer Key
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning idioms about close distance helps you describe where things are located in fun and creative ways. These expressions add color to your stories and make everyday conversations much more interesting.
Try using one of these distance idioms when describing where your favorite places are located. You will see how easy and fun it is to bring your descriptions to life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for close distance?
Some of the most common idioms for close distance include a stone’s throw, within arm’s reach, and just around the corner. People use these phrases every day to describe places and objects that are nearby.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms make our language more expressive and colorful instead of relying only on plain literal words. They help us paint a clear mental picture for whoever is listening.
How can I remember close distance idioms?
The best way to remember these idioms is to use them when describing where things are in your house or neighborhood. Connecting a phrase to a real location makes it much easier to recall.
Are idioms used in formal writing?
Idioms are best suited for casual speaking, storytelling, and creative writing rather than strict scientific reports. Using them in stories makes your characters and settings feel warm and relatable.
Do all languages have idioms about distance?
Most languages have unique expressions to describe how close or far away things are from one another. While the words are different, the idea of measuring nearness with fun phrases is universal.
