"close in on" vs "move/get closer to"

[LeTyan]

Hi,

Recently, I have been hearing people say "close in on" something a lot. I am aware that "close in on" and "get closer to" are not always interchangeable. But as a non-native speaker, I found it extremely difficult to fathom the difference between them. Could someone elaborate with examples?


Thank you!

 

[bhaisahab]

Hi,

Recently, I have been hearing people say "close in on" something a lot. I am aware that "close in on" and "get closer to" are not always interchangeable. But as a non-native speaker, I found it extremely difficult to fathom the difference between them. Could someone elaborate with examples?


Thank you!

In what context have you heard it?

 

[LeTyan]

In what context have you heard it?

For example, "They are closing in on us!"

 

[bhaisahab]

For example, "They are closing in on us!"

Where did you hear/see that?

 

[5jj]

Le tyan, that is not enough context for us to say anything of value. Your sentence is grammatically correct, as is "They are getting closer to us". We need more context to know if one, or both, is appropriate.

 

[probus]

"Get closer to" is emotionally neutral. "Close in on" implies an element of threat.