hold close

USAGE SUMMARY

"hold close" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express the idea of keeping something or someone near emotionally or physically. Example: "She wanted to hold close the memories of her childhood." Alternative expressions include "keep near" and "cherish."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Serbs currently hold close to 70percentt of Bosnia.

The New York Times

As we do, may God hold close those who've been taken from us too soon.

The New York Times

Customers want to hold close those that are special to them.

The Guardian

And it's that experience I want to articulate and that humour I hold close to myself.

The Guardian - Music

All that we fear we hold close to ourselves to survive.

The Guardian - Film

He gave us two pieces of advice that I still hold close.

The Guardian - Books

The cellar, which can hold close to 2,000 bottles, cost about $50,000 to build.

The New York Times

This idea seems more urgent than ever to recall, and hold close.

The New Yorker

We all have something that we hold close to us and something that makes us unique in our own ways.

The Washington Post

Iraqi Shiites share a faith with Iran, but they also hold close their other identities as Iraqis and Arabs.

The New York Times

And I need the one I have to hold close.' So there were readers on, quote, 'both sides of the street,' which is the way they put it".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In statistical or descriptive writing, use it to indicate that a figure is nearly reaching a specific threshold, such as 'holding close to 70 percent'.

Common error

Avoid using "hold close" when you are strictly describing the physical tightness or mechanical manner of an action; in those cases, the adverbial form "hold closely" is technically more precise, though the idiomatic "hold close" is often accepted in casual prose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hold close" functions primarily as a verb phrase where 'close' acts as a flat adverb or a predicative adjective. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often appears as a transitive construction with an object (e.g., 'hold memories close') or as part of a prepositional phrase indicating proximity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "hold close" is a versatile and correct English expression used to signify both emotional and physical proximity. According to Ludwig AI and the analyzed search results, the phrase is most prevalent in high-quality journalism and literature to describe the act of cherishing values, memories or people. It also serves a secondary, more literal function in describing statistical approximations. When writing, remember that it carries a warm, protective connotation. If you are looking for a purely emotional alternative, "hold dear" is a perfect substitute, whereas for strictly literal proximity, "keep near" might be more appropriate. Overall, it is a robust phrase that enriches writing with a sense of significance and care.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hold dear

shifts the focus to emotional value and deep affection

keep close

is nearly identical but often implies maintaining a connection rather than the act of holding

cherish

is a more formal single-word verb that emphasizes protection and love

treasure

implies viewing something as uniquely valuable or irreplaceable

keep near

focuses more on physical proximity than emotional ties

embrace

suggests a physical hug or a conceptual acceptance of an idea

hold closely

functions as a literal adverbial description of the manner of holding

cling to

suggests a stronger, sometimes desperate sense of attachment

approximate

replaces the quantitative sense of the phrase in statistical contexts

guard

emphasizes the protective nature of keeping something hidden or safe

FAQs

How do I use "hold close" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe emotional attachment, like 'She chose to "hold close" the memories of her father', or for quantities, such as 'The company assets "hold close" to a billion dollars'.

What is the difference between "hold close" and "hold dear"?

While very similar, "hold dear" is almost exclusively emotional and used for people or values, whereas "hold close" can also be used for physical proximity or statistics.

Is "hold close" a formal expression?

It is considered neutral to poetic. In strictly formal academic papers, you might prefer "prioritize" or "approximate" depending on whether the context is emotional or numerical.

Can "hold close" be used for numbers?

Yes, it is common in news reporting to say a figure "hold close to" a certain percentage or amount to indicate it is near that level.