closed system
Americannoun
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A physical system that does not interact with other systems. A closed system obeys the conservation laws in its physical description.
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Also called isolated system
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Compare open system
Etymology
Origin of closed system
First recorded in 1895–1900
Compare meaning
How does closed-system compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even if you’re using an employer’s closed system, just don’t copy and paste your notes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
They state that in a closed system, the total amount of energy stays the same, whether it appears as heat or work.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 23, 2025
This would be a significant change to Apple's "closed system", where apps can only be downloaded from its own App Store.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025
But Tesla cars could be ready because they operate on a closed system, Tal said, where the company makes both the EVs and the chargers.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 27, 2023
The entropy of a closed system never decreases.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
