that much closer

USAGE SUMMARY

'that much closer' is a perfectly correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You could use the phrase to emphasize how near a goal or solution you or someone else is. For example, "After a lot of hard work, we are finally that much closer to completing our project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Globalisation made the world smaller and brought us all that much closer.

The Guardian - Opinion

The W3C has just published a new standard that should help bring the Semantic Web that much closer to fruition.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The term places the very behavior that contributes significantly to the victim's survival that much closer to being objectionable.

The New Yorker

His face may be wider and his hairline that much closer to the horizon, but he relishes the camera's attention.

The New Yorker

Each setback will bring you that much closer to success.

Forbes

"But it didn't necessarily make me feel all that much closer".

BBC

Each experience brought her that much closer to becoming an astronomer.

Science Magazine

"To bring the police department that much closer to its users is huge," he said.

TechCrunch

This design and experience consistency will help Twitter get that much closer.

TechCrunch

And today, MOG is making the race all that much closer.

TechCrunch

And we will perhaps be that much closer to knowing if and even just when these mental states occur.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that much closer" to emphasize progress or reduced distance, making sure the context clearly defines what is being approached or achieved. This provides a sense of momentum or anticipation.

Common error

Avoid using "that much closer" when a simpler term like "closer" suffices. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose or dramatic in everyday situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that much closer" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or adjective to express the degree of proximity or progress. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is grammatically sound and frequently used to highlight advancement towards a specific goal.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Science

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "that much closer" is a versatile phrase used to emphasize progress or proximity. According to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and readily understandable, with a neutral register suitable for various contexts. While "that much closer" is most frequently found in news and media sources, as well as science, using alternative phrases like "significantly nearer" can add nuance or formality when needed. Ensure that the context clearly defines what is being approached, and avoid overuse in scenarios where a simpler expression would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly nearer

Emphasizes the degree of nearness more strongly.

considerably nearer

Similar to 'significantly nearer' but with a slightly different nuance.

substantially closer

Highlights the important extent of reduced distance.

a good deal closer

Uses a more informal tone to express substantial progress.

noticeably closer

Emphasizes that the change in proximity is easily observed.

appreciably closer

Suggests that the reduction in distance is valuable or significant.

measurably closer

Indicates that progress can be quantified.

a step closer

Indicates incremental progress.

on the verge

Expresses that something is very close to happening.

within reach

Indicates that a goal is attainable.

FAQs

How can I use "that much closer" in a sentence?

Use "that much closer" to indicate a significant reduction in distance or progress toward a goal. For example, "Each step brings us that much closer to our objective".

What can I say instead of "that much closer"?

You can use alternatives like "significantly nearer", "a good deal closer", or "substantially closer" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "that much closer" or "much closer"?

"That much closer" emphasizes the degree of progress or reduced distance more strongly than simply saying "much closer". Both are grammatically correct, but they convey slightly different levels of emphasis.

Is "that much closer" formal or informal?

"That much closer" can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, you might prefer alternatives like "significantly nearer" or "substantially closer".