pattern - What is a Close-knit Word™?

_{My first contribution to the What is a Word/Phrase™ puzzle series started by JLee over a year ago.}

If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a Close-Knit Word™.

Use the list of examples below to find out what this rule is.

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline \textbf{Close-Knit Words™}&\textbf{Not Close-Knit Words™}\\ \hline \text{EDUCATION}&\text{LEARNING}\\ \hline \text{FOGHORN}&\text{KLAXON}\\ \hline \text{ARTISTIC}&\text{IMAGINATIVE}\\ \hline \text{BOOTSTRAPS}&\text{SHOELACES}\\ \hline \text{ELIMINATE}&\text{EXTERMINATE}\\ \hline \text{PONYTAIL}&\text{PLAIT}\\ \hline \text{HIKING}&\text{WALKING}\\ \hline \text{REMUNERATION}&\text{RETURN}\\ \hline \text{FAVOURITE}&\text{BOOKMARK}\\ \hline \text{BACKDROP}&\text{SCENERY}\\ \hline \text{FENCED}&\text{PRIVATE}\\ \hline \text{JAYWALKING}&\text{BURGLARY}\\ \hline \text{INQUIRIES}&\text{INVESTIGATION}\\ \hline \text{DISGUSTING}&\text{REVOLTING}\\ \hline \end{array} $$

Text-only version for analysis:

EDUCATION     LEARNING

FOGHORN       KLAXON
ARTISTIC      IMAGINATIVE
BOOTSTRAPS    SHOELACES
ELIMINATE     EXTERMINATE
PONYTAIL      PLAIT
HIKING        WALKING
REMUNERATION  RETURN
FAVOURITE     BOOKMARK
BACKDROP      SCENERY
FENCED        PRIVATE

JAYWALKING    BURGLARY
INQUIRIES     INVESTIGATION
DISGUSTING    REVOLTING

Answer

I think "close-knit words" are

ones with three consecutive letters of the alphabet in them.

Thus:

CDE EDUCATION
FGH FOGHORN
RST ARTISTIC
RST BOOTSTRAPS
LMN ELIMINATE
NOP PONYTAIL
GHI HIKING
MNO REMUNERATION
TUV FAVOURITE
ABC BACKDROP

DEF FENCED
JKL JAYWALKING
QRS INQUIRIES
STU DISGUSTING