What this suffix does
-knit describes how tightly connected a group or community is: close-knit / tight-knit, loosely-knit.
ESEN
Suffix · forms adjectives
-knit
Describes how united a group or community is: close-knit (tightly bonded) versus loosely-knit (not very cohesive).
Intermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
How it is formed
Adverb + knit.
- close + knitclose-knit (tightly bonded)
- tight + knittight-knit (tightly bonded, cohesive)
- loosely + knitloosely-knit (not very cohesive)
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-knit
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -knit
In a phrase
- closeclose-knitThey come from a close-knit family.
- tighttight-knitThe team became tight-knit after months of working together.
- looselyloosely-knitIt's a loosely-knit group of friends who meet once a year.
- wellwell-knitThe sweater is well-knit and warm.
- tightlytightly-knitThe neighborhood is a tightly-knit community.
Common mistakes
close-knit and tight-knit are always positive
close-knit and tight-knit describe cohesion, which can be positive (supportive community) or negative (insular, resistant to outside)
A close-knit community can be wonderfully supportive — mutual aid, shared history, reciprocal loyalty. The same quality can also produce insularity, resistance to outsiders, and difficulty accepting change or outside criticism. The compound describes the degree of internal cohesion, not its moral value. Context determines whether that cohesion is warming or stifling.
"well-knit" = well-connected socially
"well-knit" describes the internal coherence of a structure, argument, or composition — not social connections
"Well-knit" describes structural integrity — the quality of being held together well internally. Applied to an argument it means the points are tightly connected and the logic holds. Applied to a body or physical structure it means the parts are well-integrated and strong. It does not mean having good social contacts; that would be "well-connected."
A trick to remember it
"Knit" = knitted stitch by stitch. Picture a community woven like a sweater: close-KNIT = the stitches are packed tight, everything firmly connected.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"loosely-knit" describes a group that is...
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -knit mean in English?
The suffix -knit describes how united a group or community is: close-knit (tightly bonded) versus loosely-knit (not very cohesive).
Can you give an example of a word with -knit?
"close" becomes "close-knit". It is a typical example of the -knit suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-bound
From the past participle of "bind": forms adjectives meaning "confined by," "heading toward," or "obligated by." Spellbound, earthbound, homebound, hidebound, snowbound, inbound.
-going
Describes a direction, an ongoing activity, or a habit: easygoing (relaxed, easy to get along with) and outgoing (sociable, extroverted).
-rooted
Describes how deeply embedded something is: deep-rooted (firmly established) versus shallow-rooted (not well established).
Learn every English suffix
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