closure

American  

[kloh-zher] / ˈkloʊ ʒər /

noun

• closures
  plural

1. the act of closing; the state of being closed.

2. a bringing to an end; conclusion.

3. something that closes or shuts.

4. closer.

5. an architectural screen or parapet, especially one standing free between columns or piers.

6. Phonetics. an occlusion of the vocal tract as an articulatory feature of a particular speech sound.

7. Parliamentary Procedure. a cloture.

8. Surveying. completion of a closed traverse in such a way that the point of origin and the endpoint coincide within an acceptably small margin of error.

9. Mathematics.

   1. the property of being closed with respect to a particular operation.

   2. the intersection of all closed sets that contain a given set.

10. Psychology.

    1. the tendency to see an entire figure even though the picture of it is incomplete, based primarily on the viewer's past experience.

    2. a sense of psychological certainty or completeness.

       a need for closure.

11. Obsolete. something that encloses or shuts in; enclosure.

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verb (used with or without object)

closured, closuring

1. Parliamentary Procedure. to cloture.

closure British  

/ ˈkləʊʒə /

noun

1. the act of closing or the state of being closed

2. an end or conclusion

3. something that closes or shuts, such as a cap or seal for a container

4. (in a deliberative body) a procedure by which debate may be halted and an immediate vote taken See also cloture guillotine gag rule

5. 1. the resolution of a significant event or relationship in a person's life

   2. a sense of contentment experienced after such a resolution

6. geology the vertical distance between the crest of an anticline and the lowest contour that surrounds it

7. phonetics the obstruction of the breath stream at some point along the vocal tract, such as the complete occlusion preliminary to the articulation of a stop

8. logic

   1. the closed sentence formed from a given open sentence by prefixing universal or existential quantifiers to bind all its free variables

   2. the process of forming such a closed sentence

9. maths

   1. the smallest closed set containing a given set

   2. the operation of forming such a set

10. psychol the tendency, first noted by Gestalt psychologists, to see an incomplete figure like a circle with a gap in it as more complete than it is

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verb

1. (tr) (in a deliberative body) to end (debate) by closure

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonclosure
  noun
• preclosure
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• closures
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of closure

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin clausūra. See close, -ure

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Explanation

Closure is the end or the closing down of something. It can be physical — like the closure of your local library — or emotional, like the closure you experience when you finally come to terms with the end of a romance. Closure comes from the Latin claus ("shut"), and it has many different shades of meaning. A road closure blocks that road from traffic. If you find closure after an emotional hardship, you're ready to move on. An obstruction in a small passage, like a pipe, is also a closure, as is the button on your sweater. In debate, closure (usually cloture), stops debate and starts the vote.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

closure closures closured

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been fraught since the Taliban authorities took power in 2021, and worsened after deadly border clashes in October last year that led to near-total closure of the border.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026

Its temporary closure saw the entire collection moved into the council's stores, which had to be reorganised to accommodate the works.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026

The closure was part of sweeping changes to Tyson’s business, including scrapping another slaughter facility in Illinois and plans to sell a plant in Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

The BBC spoke to its co-founder Dmitry Muratov, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, about the closure.

From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026

I still haven't found closure and I remember that Michael was going to ask his dad.

From "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine

He attributed the lackluster performance to the Georgia incident and its related ride closures, as well as bad weather on crucial weekends.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026

That means more closures, a vicious cycle that leaves the meat industry less prepared for the day when cattle herds eventually expand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

A gas leak caused by a car crashing into a restaurant in Liverpool city centre has led to road closures and the evacuation of neighbouring buildings.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026

Ramp and lane closures willbegin overnight Friday ahead of the complete shutdown at midnight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

He already got that crazy look in his eyes after hearing about the closures of so many school districts.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Theatres are facing lower sales from the cost-of-living crisis only a year after most re-opened following closured prompted by Covid lockdowns.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2022

Christian's response was closured by a wild outcry from the wood, hounds and horn lifting up their voices together in sudden delirium.

From Mount Music by Martin Ross

A further list of closured stations Elicits further protestations.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, January 10, 1917 by Various

"I've never met him," he answered, and closured my next question by jumping up and helping Mrs. Wylton out of the taxi.

From The Sixth Sense A Novel by Stephen McKenna

After another fight, the Government closured through an Appropriation Bill covering Supply for ten weeks, and the House was dissolved on 31st August, the election being fixed for 2nd October.

From Our First Half-Century: A Review of Queensland Progress Based Upon Official Information by Queensland

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Related Words

• closing
• stoppage
• termination

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