What does "closed" mean?
simple past and past participle of close
Closed
/kləʊzd/ adj, verb
adj, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: simple past and past participle of close
- Grammar: closed is listed as adj, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: arcane, autarkical, authoritarian, barred.
- Useful contrasts: open, acceptive, current state of progress.
- Usage evidence: You should have locked, or at least closed, all the doors.
How to use "closed"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "closed" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "closed" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "closed" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "closed" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "closed" is acting as adj, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "arcane" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "closed", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 simple past and past participle of close form-of, participle, past
Adjective
- 1 Physically obstructed, sealed, etc.; Made impassable. not-comparable
"A closed and locked door prevented my escape."
- 2 Physically obstructed, sealed, etc.; Sealed or covered. not-comparable
"Her eyes were tightly closed."
- 3 Physically obstructed, sealed, etc.; Physically drawn together, folded or contracted. not-comparable
"A book lay closed on the table."
- 4 Physically obstructed, sealed, etc.; In a position preventing fluid from flowing. not-comparable
- 5 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Not available for use or operation. not-comparable
"Phone lines are now closed."
Show 20 more definitions
- 6 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Not operating or conducting trade. not-comparable
"Banks are closed on bank holidays."
- 7 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Not allowing entrance to visitors or the public. not-comparable
"The museum is closed for the Christmas holidays."
- 8 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Not receptive. not-comparable
"He is closed to new ideas."
- 9 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Not public. not-comparable
"closed source a closed committee The bill is being considered by the committee in closed session."
- 10 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Of a competition or tournament: with the competitors restricted to a specific group, such as professionals, amateurs, members or residents. not-comparable
- 11 Not available for operation, participation, interaction, etc.; Not in current use; not connected to as a resource. not-comparable, usually
"Make sure that all files are closed before you switch off the computer."
- 12 Completed, finalised.; Settled; decided or determined; withdrawn from consideration. not-comparable
"This subject is now closed."
- 13 Completed, finalised.; Having one end joined to the other, forming a completed loop. not-comparable
"a closed curve, a closed circuit"
- 14 Completed, finalised.; In a position allowing electricity to flow. not-comparable
- 15 Completed, finalised.; Whose first and last vertices are the same, forming a closed loop. not-comparable
- 16 Having an open complement. not-comparable
- 17 Such that its image under the specified operation is contained in it. not-comparable
"The set of integers is closed under addition: #92;forallx,y#92;in#92;mathbb#123;Z#125;#92;,x#43;y#92;in#92;mathbb#123;Z#125;."
- 18 Lacking a free variable. not-comparable
- 19 Lacking endpoints. For parametric curves, with the same image for the ends of the domain. not-comparable
- 20 Lacking a boundary. not-comparable
- 21 Formed by closing the mouth and nose passages completely, like the consonants /t/, /d/, and /p/. not-comparable
- 22 Having the sound cut off sharply by a following consonant, like the /ɪ/ in pin. not-comparable
- 23 Having component words joined together without spaces or hyphens; for example, timeslot as opposed to time slot or time-slot. not-comparable
- 24 Synonym of close. not-comparable
- 25 Of a club, bat or other hitting implement; angled downwards and/or (for a right-hander) anticlockwise of straight. especially, not-comparable
Adjective
- 1 not open wordnet
- 2 not open or affording passage or access wordnet
- 3 used especially of mouth or eyes wordnet
- 4 blocked against entry wordnet
- 5 (set theory) of an interval that contains both its endpoints wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 not having an open mind wordnet
- 7 not open to the general public wordnet
- 8 with shutters closed wordnet
- 9 requiring union membership wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"You should have locked, or at least closed, all the doors."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "closed"?
Common synonyms include: arcane, autarkical, authoritarian, barred, beyond reach, bigot.
How do you use "closed" in a sentence?
You should have locked, or at least closed, all the doors.
How do you pronounce "closed"?
Pronounced /kləʊzd/.