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
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
It is a closed system that enables water recirculation so that each seedling gets exactly the nutrients it needs.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 27, 2023
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
Normally, nuclear reactors use purified water, which runs through a closed system to ensure that none of the water from the reactor can get out—and that no impurities can get in.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
