diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/where_.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/where_.rs
index cf40639172..9c61caa9e5 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/where_.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/where_.rs
@@ -10,13 +10,21 @@ impl Command for Where {
     }
 
     fn description(&self) -> &str {
-        "Filter values based on a row condition."
+        "Filter values of an input list based on a condition."
     }
 
     fn extra_description(&self) -> &str {
-        r#"This command works similar to 'filter' but allows extra shorthands for working with
-tables, known as "row conditions". On the other hand, reading the condition from a variable is
-not supported."#
+        r#"A condition is evaluated for each element of the input, and only elements which meet the condition are included in the output.
+
+A condition can be either a "row condition" or a closure. A row condition is a special short-hand syntax to simplify field access.
+Each element of the input can be accessed through the $it variable.
+
+On the left hand side of a row condition, any field name is automatically expanded to use $it.
+For example, where type == dir is equivalent to where $it.type == dir. This expansion does not happen when passing a subexpression or closure to where.
+
+When using a closure, the element is passed as an argument and as pipeline input to the closure.
+
+`where` supports closure literals, but not closures stored in a variable. To filter using a closure stored in a variable, use the `filter` command."#
     }
 
     fn command_type(&self) -> CommandType {
@@ -34,9 +42,12 @@ not supported."#
                 (Type::Range, Type::Any),
             ])
             .required(
-                "row_condition",
-                SyntaxShape::RowCondition,
-                "Filter condition.",
+                "condition",
+                SyntaxShape::OneOf(vec![
+                    SyntaxShape::RowCondition,
+                    SyntaxShape::Closure(Some(vec![SyntaxShape::Any])),
+                ]),
+                "Filter row condition or closure.",
             )
             .allow_variants_without_examples(true)
             .category(Category::Filters)
@@ -85,11 +96,9 @@ not supported."#
                 )),
             },
             Example {
-                description: "Filter items of a list according to a condition",
-                example: "[1 2] | where {|x| $x > 1}",
-                result: Some(Value::test_list(
-                    vec![Value::test_int(2)],
-                )),
+                description: "List only the files in the current directory",
+                example: "ls | where type == file",
+                result: None,
             },
             Example {
                 description: "List all files in the current directory with sizes greater than 2kb",
@@ -97,13 +106,8 @@ not supported."#
                 result: None,
             },
             Example {
-                description: "List only the files in the current directory",
-                example: "ls | where type == file",
-                result: None,
-            },
-            Example {
-                description: "List all files with names that contain \"Car\"",
-                example: "ls | where name =~ \"Car\"",
+                description: r#"List all files with names that contain "Car""#,
+                example: r#"ls | where name =~ "Car""#,
                 result: None,
             },
             Example {
@@ -111,18 +115,32 @@ not supported."#
                 example: "ls | where modified >= (date now) - 2wk",
                 result: None,
             },
+            Example {
+                description: "Filter items of a list with a row condition",
+                example: "[1 2 3 4 5] | where $it > 2",
+                result: Some(Value::test_list(
+                    vec![Value::test_int(3), Value::test_int(4), Value::test_int(5)],
+                )),
+            },
+            Example {
+                description: "Filter items of a list with a closure",
+                example: "[1 2 3 4 5] | where {|x| $x > 2 }",
+                result: Some(Value::test_list(
+                    vec![Value::test_int(3), Value::test_int(4), Value::test_int(5)],
+                )),
+            },
             Example {
                 description: "Find files whose filenames don't begin with the correct sequential number",
-                example: "ls | where type == file | sort-by name --natural | enumerate | where {|e| $e.item.name !~ $'^($e.index + 1)' } | each {|| get item }",
+                example: "ls | where type == file | sort-by name --natural | enumerate | where {|e| $e.item.name !~ $'^($e.index + 1)' } | get item",
                 result: None,
             },
             Example {
-                description: r#"Find case-insensitively files called "readme", without an explicit closure"#,
+                description: r#"Find case-insensitively files called "readme", with a subexpression"#,
                 example: "ls | where ($it.name | str downcase) =~ readme",
                 result: None,
             },
             Example {
-                description: "same as above but with regex only",
+                description: r#"Find case-insensitively files called "readme", with regex only"#,
                 example: "ls | where name =~ '(?i)readme'",
                 result: None,
             }