grow close to

Meaning

This expression means to gradually develop a strong, intimate, or affectionate relationship with someone over time. It implies that the emotional connection didn't happen instantly but built up through shared experiences and time spent together. It is commonly used for friendships, romantic partners, and family members.

Examples

• Over the summer, I really grew close to my cousins while staying at their beach house.

  Over the summer, I really grew close to my cousins while staying at their beach house.

• It's natural to grow close to your coworkers when you work on intense projects together.

  It's natural to grow close to your coworkers when you work on intense projects together.

• She grew close to her neighbor after they started walking their dogs together every morning.

  She grew close to her neighbor after they started walking their dogs together every morning.

• I never thought we'd get along, but I've grown close to him over the last year.

  I never thought we'd get along, but I've grown close to him over the last year.

• They grew close to each other during college and have been best friends ever since.

  They grew close to each other during college and have been best friends ever since.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I grew closely to my roommate.

  ✓ I grew close to my roommate.

  'Close' is used here as an adjective describing the state of the relationship, not as an adverb ('closely').

• ✗ We grew close with each other.

  ✓ We grew close to each other.

  The preposition that pairs with 'grow close' is 'to', not 'with'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• After working on the same team for a year, I've really ___ my manager.

  💡 Use the past participle form of 'grow'.

  Show answer

  grown close to

• It takes time to ___ someone when you move to a new city.

  💡 Use the base form of the verb.

  Show answer

  grow close to