- 1[not before noun] shut Keep the door closed.
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- 2[not before noun] not open for business or public access The museum is closed on Mondays. This road is closed to traffic.
- 3not willing to accept outside influences or new ideas a closed society He has a closed mind.
- 4[usually before noun] limited to a particular group of people; not open to everyone a closed membership opposite open Which Word?close / shut
- You can close and shut doors, windows, your eyes, mouth, etc.
- Shut can suggest more noise and is often found in phrases such as slammed shut, banged shut, snapped shut.
- Shut is also usually used for containers such as boxes, suitcases, etc.
- To talk about the time when stores, offices, etc. are not open, use close:What time do the banks close? A strike has closed the factory.You can also use closed:The store is closed today.
- Closed is used in front of a noun, but shut is not:a closed window.
- We usually use closed about roads, airports, etc:The road is closed because of the snow.
- Close is also used in formal English to talk about ending a meeting or conversation:Let's close our discussion by reviewing the main points.
Idioms
without the public being allowed to attend or know what is happening; in private The meeting was held behind closed doors.
a subject or person that you know nothing about Nuclear physics is a closed book to most of us.
Check pronunciation: closed