keep a close eye on

Meaning

To monitor someone or something very carefully and continuously. In a business context, it is often used when watching a tight budget, a critical project deadline, or a competitor's moves. While casual, it is highly common in office conversations and team meetings.

Examples

• We need to keep a close eye on the budget this quarter so we don't overspend.

  We need to keep a close eye on the budget this quarter so we don't overspend.

• Can you keep a close eye on the server performance during the product launch?

  Can you keep a close eye on the server performance during the product launch?

• Our team is keeping a close eye on what our competitors are doing with AI.

  Our team is keeping a close eye on what our competitors are doing with AI.

• I'm keeping a close eye on these sales numbers; they've been fluctuating lately.

  I'm keeping a close eye on these sales numbers; they've been fluctuating lately.

• She asked me to keep a close eye on the new intern to make sure he gets the hang of things.

  She asked me to keep a close eye on the new intern to make sure he gets the hang of things.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We need to keep a close eye to the project.

  ✓ We need to keep a close eye on the project.

  The preposition 'on' must always follow 'keep a close eye'. Do not use 'to' or 'at'.

• ✗ I will keep close eyes on the budget.

  ✓ I will keep a close eye on the budget.

  The idiom uses the singular 'a close eye', not plural 'close eyes', even though you have two eyes.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Our manager wants us to ___ the new marketing campaign's metrics.

  💡 Monitor carefully.

  Show answer

  keep a close eye on

• Make sure you ___ the timeline so we don't miss the deadline.

  💡 Watch closely.

  Show answer

  keep a close eye on