closer of them

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "closer of them" is not correct in English and does not convey a clear meaning.
It seems to be an attempt to express proximity or comparison among a group, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "I feel closer to my friends than to my family, but I can't quite explain why."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

I reached for the closer of them.

The New Yorker

On Sunday, the last day of the season for the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees, the Texans will honour the finest closer of them all with a pre-game ceremony featuring Roger Clemens, a former luminary of both teams.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I had a long-standing engagement in Gordon's Wine Bar that Thursday with friends from the Aberdeen journalist strike of 1989, and phoned the closest of them, Duncan Macpherson.

The Guardian

And individual loopholes, either the closing of them or their continued existence, will almost certainly draw opposition from even the most normally amenable lawmakers.

Huffington Post

As we moved closer, one of them yelled, "They're white!

The New Yorker

We accepted 97 of the introductions that were from individuals we thought were a good fit and closed 36 of them — a 37percentt close rate.

TechCrunch

"We disagreed with closing the newspapers, but the government closed most of them," he said.

The New Yorker

So he closed six of them.

The New York Times

It has closed some of them, not all.

The New York Times

"And because of what it cost to manage them, we ended up closing all of them.

The New York Times

It closed two of them in 1997 but has faced numerous technical problems.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "closer of them" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "closer to them" or "nearest to them" to ensure clarity and correctness.

Common error

A common mistake is using "of" instead of "to" when expressing proximity. Remember that "closer" requires the preposition "to" to correctly indicate nearness or comparison, such as in the phrase "closer to the truth".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "closer of them" attempts to express a comparative relationship, indicating nearness or connection among a group. However, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that correct alternatives should use the preposition 'to' instead of 'of'.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "closer of them" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI analysis confirms this, suggesting alternatives like "closer to them" or "nearest to them" for accurate communication. While examples can be found in some news and media sources, the infrequent and incorrect usage suggests that this phrase should be avoided in formal writing to maintain clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

closer to them

This alternative uses the correct preposition "to" instead of "of" to indicate proximity or nearness.

nearest to them

Replaces "closer" with "nearest" while maintaining the correct preposition, emphasizing the shortest distance.

closest to them

Uses "closest" as the superlative form of "close" to indicate the shortest distance or strongest connection.

nearer to them

Substitutes "closer" with "nearer", offering a slightly different but similar emphasis on proximity.

in closer proximity to them

Replaces "closer" with the more formal phrase "in closer proximity" maintaining the sense of nearness.

more intimate with them

Shifts the focus from physical proximity to emotional closeness or familiarity.

more acquainted with them

Implies a deeper level of knowledge or familiarity rather than just physical nearness.

more involved with them

Indicates a higher degree of participation or engagement with the individuals or things in question.

more connected to them

Highlights the relationship or link between the subject and the individuals or things.

more in touch with them

Changes the focus to maintaining contact or communication, rather than physical nearness.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "closer of them"?

The correct way to express proximity or nearness is to use "closer to them". The preposition "to" is necessary for grammatical accuracy.

Is "closer of them" grammatically correct?

No, "closer of them" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "closer to them".

Can I use "closer of them" in formal writing?

It's best to avoid "closer of them" in formal writing. Use more standard phrases like "closer to them" or "nearest to them" for clarity and correctness.

What alternatives can I use instead of "closer of them"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "closer to them", "nearest to them", or "closest to them".