# closely

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈkləʊsliː/ · frequency rank #2,824

## Definitions
1. In a close manner.
2. secretly; privately

## Etymology
From close + -ly.

## Easily confused with
- **closer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closely-vs-closer)
- **closet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closely-vs-closet)
- **closes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closely-vs-closes)
- **costly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closely-vs-costly)
- **closest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closely-vs-closest)
- **closeup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closely-vs-closeup)
- **close** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/close-vs-closely)
- **closed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/closed-vs-closely)

## Common misspellings (11)
`cclosely`, `cllosely`, `cloesly`, `closelly`, `closelyy`, `closeyl`, `closley`, `clossely`, `clsoely`, `colsely`, `lcosely`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/closely