close and faithful share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. close means “move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut”. faithful means “steadfast in affection or allegiance”. close is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkloʊs/
1.v.move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
“Close the door”
2.v.become closed
“The windows closed with a loud bang”
3.v.cease to operate or cause to cease operating
“The owners decided to move and to close the factory”
/ˈfeɪθfəl/
1.adj.steadfast in affection or allegiance
“years of faithful service”
2.adj.marked by fidelity to an original
“a close translation”
3.adj.not having sexual relations with anyone except your husband or wife, or your boyfriend or girlfriend
“he remained faithful to his wife”
| close | faithful | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkloʊs/ | /ˈfeɪθfəl/ |
| Said | klohs | FAYTH-fuhl |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | verb, adjective, noun, adverb | adjective, noun |
| Senses | 37 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | shut | none recorded |
Full entry for close · Full entry for faithful · More comparisons