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

The company has said it will continue to manage the landfill, including addressing the smoldering underground fire “that is affecting the northwest corner of the landfill, as well as closure and post-closure activities.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Chen said "many like-minded" countries had assisted Taiwan over the airspace closure.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Mr. Ocker suggests that residents may have been ready to distance themselves from the closure, in that year, of a North Tarrytown auto plant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

It also helps researchers refine geological models of an area shaped by repeated episodes of ocean closure and continental collision.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

But how do you get closure when your mom breaks the law?

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Full beach closures are rare and usually happen only during significant emergencies such as raw sewage main breaks, fire debris incidents or dangerous weather conditions including lightning strikes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

Jarden says Integral has reset expectations in light of doctor shortages, wage increases, site closures, FX headwinds, in-housing of CT scans by New Zealand’s Health Board and increased competition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

His surname became synonymous with big-money deals, success and opulence despite a string of bankruptcies, casino closures and failed direct-to-consumer businesses.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026

It has also argued that betting shop closures could reduce the money bookmakers contribute to horse racing, external, potentially putting jobs in that industry at risk too.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

She stanched the bleeding with wadded paper towels, then pulled out alcohol wipes and a pack of butterfly closures.

From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi

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

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

"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

A further list of closured stations Elicits further protestations.

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

The qualifying adjective 'good' is dangerous, and before the time for the bill was half expired, Bozzy has closured it and the amendment.

From James Boswell Famous Scots Series by W. Keith (William Keith) Leask

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Related Words

• closing
• stoppage
• termination

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