closed
closed — adjective
1. A door, container, or other object that is in a position that blocks entry, exit
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.
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
A closed box sat on the kitchen table next to a bowl of fruit.
Priya sat with her eyes closed, listening to her mother read a story.
- 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
2. A shop, bank, library, or other place that people visit is not available for cus
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.
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]
All the banks near the town square were closed for the holiday.
The bakery was already closed when Theo arrived at ten in the morning.
- shut
used interchangeably for businesses, especially in British English ('the pub is shut')
- 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
3. A discussion, argument, legal case, or other matter that has been finished and i
A discussion, argument, legal case, or other matter that has been finished and is no longer available for further debate, change, or reconsideration.
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.
For Hana, the argument with her brother was closed once he said sorry.
The committee decided the topic was closed after everyone had shared their opinion.
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
4. A person, group, or community that is unwilling to consider new ideas, different
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.
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]
The committee's closed views on education stopped the school from improving.
Aiko found her uncle's attitude toward travel too closed to talk about.
- 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
- open-minded
willing to consider new ideas
- receptive
open and ready to accept new influences
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
5. A question that is designed so that the person answering can only reply with a l
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.
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.
Survey forms use closed questions where you tick one box from a short list.
In the job interview, most of the questions were closed and could be answered quickly.
- multiple-choice
more specific — implies a list of options rather than just yes/no
- 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
6. An event, meeting, or organization that is limited to a specific group of people
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.
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.
The school held a closed event for parents and teachers only.
Diego could not enter the building because the area was closed to visitors.
- 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
- 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.