close to + state or position
Moving toward a shut position
Close to can describe movement toward being shut or near completion.
The gap slowly closed to a narrow line.
Close to, at, on, in or for?
Close combines with different prepositions depending on whether you mean movement, business hours, or emotional distance.
Quick answer
Which prepositions are used with close?
Close to commonly describes movement toward a shut position or emotional closeness. Close at and close on are used for times and dates in business contexts. Close in and close for appear in specific expressions such as close in on or close for repairs.
Please close the door to keep the heat in.
The shop closes at 6 p.m.
Schools close for holidays every summer.
The police were closing in on the suspect by midnight.
The shop closes at 6 p.m.
Schools close for holidays every summer.
The police were closing in on the suspect by midnight.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
close at + time
Giving a closing time
Use close at to state the time a business or service stops operating.
The museum closes at five on Sundays.
close on + date or event
Approaching a point in time
Close on can mean approaching a date, event, or amount.
Sales are closing on one million dollars this year.
close in on + target
Surrounding or approaching
Close in on is a phrasal verb meaning move nearer to someone or something.
The soldiers closed in on the enemy before dawn.
close for + reason
Explaining why something stops operating
Use close for to give a reason or period of closure.
The bridge closed for repairs last month.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
close to
The curtains closed to block the light.
movement toward a closed position
close at
The bank closes at 4 p.m.
states a closing time
close on
The company is closing on a major deal.
approach or complete something
close in
Night closed in quickly.
become darker or more confined
close for
The café closed for renovations.
give the reason or period of closure
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using in instead of in on
The expression is close in on when approaching a target.
✕ Police closed in the suspect. ✓ Police closed in on the suspect.Using for with clock times
Use at for specific closing times.
✕ The store closes for 9 p.m. ✓ The store closes at 9 p.m.Confusing close to with close
Close to is not needed before every noun phrase.
✕ Please close to the window. ✓ Please close the window.Using on for reasons
For introduces the reason for closure.
✕ The road closed on repairs. ✓ The road closed for repairs.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. The library closes ___ 8 p.m. on weekdays.
2. The airport closed ___ heavy fog.
3. The detectives were closing ___ the suspect.
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Frequently asked questions
Can close on mean approach?
Yes. Close on can describe approaching a goal, date, or result.
What does close in mean?
Close in can mean become darker, smaller, or more threatening around someone.
Is close to common after the verb close?
It is possible in certain meanings, but many sentences simply use close without a following preposition.
Related preposition guides
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