“Closely” means in a way that is near in space, time, or relationship, or with a lot of attention. It describes how something is done with care or in a tight or near way.
It is formed from the adjective “close” plus the adverb-forming suffix “-ly.” “Close” itself comes from Latin “clausus,” meaning “shut.”
When you “look closely,” you’re not just seeing better—you’re mentally “shutting out” distractions to get near the details. The word quietly carries both physical nearness and mental focus in one simple package.
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