closed

/kləʊzd/ (bre, ipa) · /kləʊzd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈklōzd/ (ame, mw)

closed — adjective

  • closedpositive
  • closedercomparative
  • closedestsuperlative

1. A door, container, or other object that is in a position that blocks entry, exit

1.形容詞A1
釋義

A door, container, or other object that is in a position that blocks entry, exit, or access — for example, a window that has been shut or a box whose lid has been put on.

例句

The door was closed, so Leila knocked before going inside.

passive: was closed

Please keep the window closed when the rain comes.

keep + object + closed

同義詞
  • shut

    equally common and interchangeable for doors, windows, and containers; slightly more direct

  • locked

    implies a key or latch was used, adding a sense of security

  • sealed

    suggests an airtight or official closure, as with envelopes or containers

反義詞
  • open

    the direct opposite in every context

文法句型

be + closed

keep + object + closed

用法筆記

Often used with be (was closed) or keep (keep closed). Commonly describes doors, windows, eyes, mouths, lids, gates, and containers.

常見錯誤

❌The door was closed shut.
✅The door was closed.' or 'The door was shut.
💡'closed shut' is redundant since both words describe the same state.

2. A shop, bank, library, or other place that people visit is not available for cus

2.形容詞A1
釋義

A shop, bank, library, or other place that people visit is not available for customers or visitors to enter, usually because of the time of day, a holiday, or a day of the week.

例句

The library is closed on Sundays, so Noa went to the park.

be closed on [day of week]

A sign on the shop door said it was closed for the day.

closed for [reason/period]

同義詞
  • shut

    used interchangeably for businesses, especially in British English ('the pub is shut')

反義詞
  • open

    the direct opposite

文法句型

be + closed

closed for + noun

closed on + day

用法筆記

Used predicatively for most situations (the shop is closed). Attributive use (a closed shop) is less common but acceptable. The opposite is 'open' with the same grammar pattern.

常見錯誤

❌The shop is closing on Sundays.' (when meaning it is not open at all on Sundays)
✅The shop is closed on Sundays.
💡'closing' describes the action of shutting; 'closed' describes the state of being unavailable for business.

3. A discussion, argument, legal case, or other matter that has been finished and i

3.形容詞B1
釋義

A discussion, argument, legal case, or other matter that has been finished and is no longer available for further debate, change, or reconsideration.

例句

After the vote, the matter was closed and no one talked about it again.

the matter is closed

The judge said the case was closed and could not be looked at again.

同義詞
  • finished

    more general and less formal; works for any completed activity

  • concluded

    more formal; often used in official or written contexts

  • settled

    implies an agreement was reached, especially for disputes

反義詞
  • open

    an open case or open question is still being discussed

  • ongoing

    still continuing or in progress

文法句型

the matter is closed

case/subject/topic + be + closed

用法筆記

Frequently predicative (the matter is closed). Can also appear attributively before a noun (a closed case, a closed subject). Common collocates: case, matter, topic, subject, issue, deal.

常見錯誤

❌The finished book on my shelf is a closed matter.' (when meaning the book is done)
✅Once we signed the contract, the deal was closed.
💡This sense applies only to discussions, decisions, and legal matters, not to completed physical objects.

4. A person, group, or community that is unwilling to consider new ideas, different

4.形容詞C2
釋義

A person, group, or community that is unwilling to consider new ideas, different ways of living, or people from outside their own circle — for example, a small village that keeps out unfamiliar customs.

例句

The small town stayed closed to new ideas, and few changes were ever made.

closed to [new ideas / outsiders]

The professor's closed way of thinking made it hard for his students to try new methods.

closed + [thinking / mind / attitude]

同義詞
  • narrow-minded

    more common in everyday speech; carries stronger negative judgment

  • insular

    more formal; typically describes communities or groups, not individuals

  • rigid

    focuses on unwillingness to bend or adapt rather than on rejection of outside influence

反義詞

文法句型

closed to + noun

closed mind / closed attitude

用法筆記

Often followed by the preposition to when specifying what is rejected (closed to change, closed to outsiders). Commonly describes communities, institutions, organizations, and people in authority. The attributive use (closed mind, closed attitude) is very common.

常見錯誤

❌She has a closed mind about trying new foods.' (informal, partially acceptable)
✅She is closed to the idea of trying new foods.
💡The adjective collocates more naturally with 'to' + noun phrase than with 'about'.

5. A question that is designed so that the person answering can only reply with a l

5.形容詞B1
釋義

A question that is designed so that the person answering can only reply with a limited set of choices, most commonly 'yes' or 'no', or by picking one option from a list.

例句

A closed question like 'Do you like tea?' only needs a yes or no answer.

closed question — yes/no format

The teacher used a closed question to check if the students had finished their reading.

同義詞
  • multiple-choice

    more specific — implies a list of options rather than just yes/no

反義詞
  • open-ended

    a question that allows a free-form response

文法句型

closed question

用法筆記

Used only attributively before the noun question. The antonym is 'open question', which requires a fuller response. This sense appears frequently in discussions of surveys, tests, and research methods.

常見錯誤

❌That was a close question.' (confusing with 'close' meaning nearby)
✅That was a closed question.
💡The -ed ending is essential; without it the meaning changes to 'nearby question'.

6. An event, meeting, or organization that is limited to a specific group of people

6.形容詞B2
釋義

An event, meeting, or organization that is limited to a specific group of people and not available for the public to attend, join, or observe.

例句

The dinner was closed to anyone who was not a club member.

closed to [restricted group]

Only team leaders could attend the closed meeting in the main office.

同義詞
  • private

    emphasizes that the event or information is personal or confidential

  • exclusive

    suggests privilege or selectivity in who is allowed

  • restricted

    more formal; implies an official limitation on access

反義詞
  • open

    available to everyone; public

文法句型

closed to + noun

closed meeting / closed session

用法筆記

Often followed by to to specify who is excluded. Common in contexts of private events, membership-based organizations, and confidential legal or government proceedings. Do not confuse with sense 1 (physically shut) — here the restriction is by rule or permission, not by a physical barrier.

常見錯誤

❌The park gate was closed to visitors due to snow.' (when meaning physically shut)
✅The meeting was closed to the public.
💡Sense 6 means restricted by rule or membership, not temporarily blocked by a physical barrier.