closing
closing — adjective
1. used to describe the final part of an event, speech, or activity
used to describe the final part of an event, speech, or activity
The CEO delivered her closing remarks at the annual shareholders' meeting.
only before noun: closing remarks
In the closing minutes of the match, Ravi scored the winning goal.
Aiko's closing argument convinced the jury to reach a verdict.
closing + argument (legal context)
The closing scene of the film left the audience in silence.
Tomás missed the closing ceremony because his flight left at dawn.
- closing remarks
- closing ceremony
- closing scene
- closing minutes
- closing stages
- closing argument
- closing date
- final
more common and neutral; 'closing' specifically refers to the act of ending while 'final' simply means last in sequence
- concluding
slightly more formal; often chosen in academic or ceremonial contexts
- last
simplest and most general; less specific about a process of ending
Grammar Patterns
closing + noun
Common Mistakes
closing — noun
1. the time when a business or public venue stops serving visitors, either at the e
the time when a business or public venue stops serving visitors, either at the end of the day or for good
The museum announced its closing at 5 p.m. every Sunday throughout the winter.
After the storm warning, the city ordered the closing of all public parks and beaches.
the closing of + [public place]
The restaurant's sudden closing surprised the regular customers who ate there every week.
Shop closing times in this small town are much earlier than in the capital.
closing times (fixed phrase)
Diego checked the library's closing hours before planning his study session.
- closing time
- closing hours
- early closing
- store closing
- sudden closing
- temporary closing
- opening
the time when a place begins to receive visitors or customers
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + noun
possesive + closing
Usage Note
Often used in the fixed phrase 'closing time' to refer to the hour when pubs, bars, or shops stop serving customers. Can describe both daily closures and permanent shutdowns — context tells you which.
Common Mistakes
2. the act of moving a door, lid, window, or one's eyes from an open to a shut posi
the act of moving a door, lid, window, or one's eyes from an open to a shut position
The soft closing of the bedroom door told Noa that the baby was finally asleep.
the closing of + [physical object]
The closing of the garage door is now controlled by a remote with a sensor.
Rashida blinked, and the slow closing of her eyes showed how exhausted she felt.
The window's automatic closing mechanism was broken after the winter storm.
closing mechanism
Bao heard the closing of the gate latch when the wind blew through the yard.
- door closing
- window closing
- eye closing
- lid closing
- gentle closing
- automatic closing
- slow closing
- opening
the action of moving something to an open position
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + noun
Usage Note
Frequently appears in compound nouns or technical descriptions: 'door-closing system,' 'eye-closing reflex.' The opposite action is 'opening.'
3. the permanent end of a company, factory, hospital, or other organization's opera
the permanent end of a company, factory, hospital, or other organization's operations
The factory closing left three hundred workers without jobs before the holidays.
The hospital's closing forced patients to travel to another town for treatment.
After fifty years in business, the family store's closing saddened the whole neighborhood.
possesive + closing for business shutdown
The government announced the closing of the coal mine after years of declining output.
the closing of + [workplace]
Wen wrote an article about the closing of local libraries across the region.
- factory closing
- plant closing
- mine closing
- school closing
- business closing
- forced closing
- announced closing
- permanent closing
- closure
the more formal and standard term for a permanent end of operations; 'closure' is preferred in official announcements
- shutdown
often suggests a sudden or enforced end, or a temporary halt that may become permanent
- liquidation
specifically refers to the process of selling assets to pay debts when a company ends
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + [organization]
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1 (VENUE SHUT): this sense always refers to a permanent end of an organization's existence, not a daily routine. 'The restaurant's closing at 10 PM' (sense 1) vs. 'the restaurant's closing after 40 years' (sense 3).
Common Mistakes
4. the final part or moment of an event, speech, period, or process — for example,
the final part or moment of an event, speech, period, or process — for example, the closing of a ceremony with a final song, or the closing of a debate with a concluding statement
The closing of the conference featured a speech by a Nobel prize winner.
As the closing of the school year approached, the students prepared for their final exams.
the closing of + [time period]
The orchestra played a famous piece at the closing of the summer festival.
The closing of Dr. Okafor's lecture received a warm ovation from the audience.
The closing of the old year brought a village celebration for the new one.
the closing of + [time period]
- closing of the meeting
- closing of the year
- closing of the debate
- closing of the season
- closing of the conference
- closing of term
- end
the simplest, most general word; 'end' is neutral while 'closing' suggests a process of winding down
- conclusion
more formal; often used for written works, arguments, or formal events
- finish
emphasizes the final moment rather than the process leading to it
- finale
reserved for dramatic or musical events; suggests a grand or memorable ending
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + [abstract noun]
Usage Note
Used with a wide range of event nouns: 'the closing of the meeting,' 'the closing of the season,' 'the closing of the debate.' The adjective form 'closing' (adj sense 1) is more common and often preferred in everyday speech: 'closing remarks' rather than 'the closing of the remarks.'
Common Mistakes
5. the final stage of a business negotiation when all parties agree to the terms an
the final stage of a business negotiation when all parties agree to the terms and the deal is formally completed
The closing of the merger took place after both boards approved the terms.
Lawyers worked through the weekend to prepare documents for the deal's closing.
deal closing — business collocation
The closing of the partnership agreement was delayed by unresolved tax issues.
Yusuf celebrated the closing of his first international contract with his team.
- deal closing
- closing of the merger
- closing of the agreement
- successful closing
- delayed closing
- completion
more general; can apply to any finished task, not just business deals
- settlement
often used when money changes hands to resolve a debt or obligation
- finalization
slightly more formal; stresses the last administrative steps
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + [business deal/agreement]
Usage Note
Typically used in business journalism and contract negotiation. Unlike sense 6 (real estate), this sense covers any type of commercial deal — mergers, partnerships, or sales of assets.
6. the final step in a property sale when the buyer becomes the legal owner and all
the final step in a property sale when the buyer becomes the legal owner and all paperwork is signed
The closing of the house sale is scheduled for next Friday morning.
Beatriz received the keys to her new apartment at the closing last Tuesday.
at the closing — fixed phrase in real estate
The buyers and sellers sat together at the lawyer's office for the closing.
Delays at the closing meant the Kims could not move in before the new term.
Closing costs included the lawyer's fee and the land transfer tax on the property.
closing costs — fixed term in real estate
- house closing
- property closing
- closing costs
- closing date
- closing agent
- closing statement
- at the closing
- completion
the standard term in British English for the same legal process
- settlement
used in some regions and legal contexts interchangeably with closing
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + [property]
Usage Note
In British English, the equivalent term is 'completion.' 'Closing costs' is a fixed term for fees paid at the closing, such as legal fees, registration taxes, and inspection charges.
Common Mistakes
7. making a distance, difference, or gap smaller — for instance, reducing a scoring
making a distance, difference, or gap smaller — for instance, reducing a scoring gap in a game or narrowing a wealth gap in society
The closing of the gap between rich and poor students is a national priority.
the closing of + [gap] in social contexts
The runner's finish led to the closing of the gap with the leader.
The policy focused on the closing of the wage gap between men and women.
the closing of + [gap] — noun phrase pattern
Olu studied the closing of the age gap in marriage patterns across different cultures.
- closing of the gap
- closing of the distance
- gradual closing
- rapid closing
- steady closing
Grammar Patterns
the closing of + [gap/distance/difference]
Usage Note
Often found in formal writing about social issues (income gap, achievement gap, gender gap) or competitive contexts (sports, racing). The verb form 'close the gap' is more common in everyday speech.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All three words describe something ending or stopping, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Closing' is the broadest and most neutral — it can mean a daily routine (the shop's closing at 9 PM) or a permanent end, and it fits both speech and writing. 'Closure' is more formal and strongly suggests something permanent and often unwelcome: 'The hospital closure sparked protests.' It also has a psychological meaning (emotional closure) that 'closing' lacks. 'Shutdown' is more informal and dramatic, suggesting a sudden stoppage, often of machinery or an entire system: 'The factory shutdown caused a supply crisis.' In everyday conversation, use 'closing' for daily business hours, 'closure' for permanent events in formal contexts, and 'shutdown' for abrupt or mechanical endings.
Common collocations
Phrases
- closing time
- closing date
- closing costs
Prepositions
- closing + of
- at + closing
Etymology
The word 'closing' developed from the verb 'close,' which entered English through Old French 'clore' (to shut), from Latin 'claudere' (to shut, enclose). The same Latin root produced 'clause,' 'closet,' 'conclude,' 'include,' and 'exclude.' The adjective and noun forms of 'closing' appeared in Middle English as natural extensions of the verb, with the noun gradually acquiring specialized meanings in business, law, and social analysis.