closely in age

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "closely in age" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe two or more individuals who are of similar ages, often in contexts discussing relationships, comparisons, or family dynamics. Example: "The two brothers are closely in age, making them great playmates throughout their childhood."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Ruth Bader Ginsburg just turned eighty-one, and she's followed closely in age by Antonin Scalia, seventy-eight; Anthony Kennedy, seventy-seven; and Stephen Breyer, seventy-five.

The New Yorker

A sample consisted of 20 class III patients with no treatment who were under observation for class III treatment and matched closely in age and craniofacial morphology with the study groups were used as the control group.

Progress in Orthodontics

21, followed most closely in age of death by 22 and 20 with a high number of 19-year-olds.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Pairs of females who were closely related, close in age, and closely ranked had significantly higher rates of conflict than other females (Wald x = 113.12, p < 0.0001, n = 975; Table  4).

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Pairs of females who were more closely related, closer in age, and closer in rank had significantly stronger social bonds than other females (Wald x = 696.47, p < 0.0001, n = 975 dyads; Table  1).

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

But they're closely matched in age.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tephra isochrons containing many shards can also contain material from several eruptions closely spaced in age.

Heritage Science

The control subjects were closely matched in age, sex, and craniofacial morphology with the experimental subjects (Table 1).

Progress in Orthodontics

However, for lightweight bridge decks in the mountain regions, it was not possible to find a companion normalweight bridge deck with a similar superstructure, that also closely matched in age, traffic, and geographic region.

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

Cases and controls in each disease group were closely matched in age and gender.

British Journal of Cancer

The final groups were closely matched in age (type 1 diabetes, 7.0 ± 1.4; HC subjects, 7.2 ± 1.6 years; Table 1).

Diabetes Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing groups in research, especially in medical or social sciences, use "closely in age" to highlight that the subjects' ages are similar to minimize age-related confounding variables.

Common error

Avoid using "closely in age" if the age difference is significant. The phrase implies a minimal age gap; otherwise, use broader terms like "similar age range".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "closely in age" functions as an adverbial modifier describing the degree of similarity in age. It modifies a noun, typically people or subjects in a study, indicating they share a similar age range. As noted by Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

15%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "closely in age" is grammatically correct and generally used to describe individuals or groups with minimal age differences, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its most common application is within scientific, academic, or research contexts, although it may appear in news articles to describe cohorts or groups of people. Given its specialized use, the phrase is considered relatively rare compared to alternatives like "similar in age". When writing, use "closely in age" to underscore age similarity, particularly in studies where age could be a confounding variable. Its correct usage and the contexts in which it appears make it a valuable descriptive tool.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Similar in age

Replaces "closely" with "similar", focusing on the likeness of age rather than the proximity.

Nearly the same age

Emphasizes the minimal difference in age, highlighting the near identity.

Of comparable age

Uses a more formal tone to indicate that the ages are alike for comparison purposes.

Approximately the same age

Indicates an estimated similarity in age, allowing for a slight margin of difference.

Around the same age

A more casual way to express approximate age similarity.

Close in years

Substitutes "age" with "years", maintaining the meaning of proximity in age.

Not far apart in age

Expresses the small age difference using a negative construction.

In the same age bracket

Refers to belonging to a similar age group or category.

Nearly of age

Indicates being in a range for the same legal rights and obligations.

In the same generation

Suggests that individuals belong to the same cohort or period of life.

FAQs

What does "closely in age" mean?

The phrase "closely in age" means that two or more people or things are of similar ages, with only a small difference between them. It indicates a high degree of age similarity.

What can I say instead of "closely in age"?

You can use alternatives like "similar in age", "nearly the same age", or "of comparable age" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "closely in age"?

Yes, it's grammatically correct and understandable to say "closely in age". Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

In what contexts is "closely in age" typically used?

"Closely in age" is often used in scientific studies when comparing groups, in family contexts to describe siblings, or in any situation where highlighting the similarity in age is important.