adjective

geschlossen

closed · close

Dieser Begriff beschreibt einen Zustand, bei dem eine Tür oder ein Fenster nicht offen ist. Man kann nicht hindurchgehen oder hineinsehen. Es bedeutet auch, dass ein Laden oder ein Geschäft gerade keine Kunden empfängt.

Definition & meaning

geschlossen means closed, shut, or not open. It is the past participle of “to close” and is often used as an adjective.

Depending on context, it can also mean:

Not open for business: “The shop is closed.”
Private or restricted to a particular group: for example, a private event.
United or acting as one: describing a group that presents a unified front.
Complete or self-contained: for example, a coherent argument or a closed system.

Grammar & Word origin

geschlossen is the past participle of schließen [?](vocabuo://word/schließen), “to close” or “to shut.” It is also commonly used as an adjective, with endings that change according to its grammatical role, such as geschlossene or geschlossenes.

It is formed with the participle prefix ge- and the ending -en. The verb schließen is irregular: its past participle is geschlossen.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms vary by meaning:

zu [?](vocabuo://word/zu) — “shut” or “closed,” especially for doors, windows, or shops; more conversational and often more directly physical.
verschlossen [?](vocabuo://word/verschlossen) — “locked” or “shut tight”; can also describe a person who is reserved.
beendet [?](vocabuo://word/beendet) — “finished” or “concluded,” appropriate for a meeting or process rather than a physical object.
einig [?](vocabuo://word/einig) — “united” or “in agreement”; applies to people’s shared views, not to something physically shut.

Antonyms also depend on the sense:

offen [?](vocabuo://word/offen) — “open”; the broadest opposite, including open spaces, businesses, and matters that remain unresolved.
geöffnet [?](vocabuo://word/geöffnet) — “opened” or “open,” often describing something that has been opened or is available for entry.
zerstritten [?](vocabuo://word/zerstritten) — “at odds” or “disunited”; an opposite when geschlossen describes a united group.

Common phrases & collocations

geschlossen sein [?](vocabuo://word/geschlossen%20sein) — to be closed, such as a shop or building.
eine geschlossene Gesellschaft [?](vocabuo://word/eine%20geschlossene%20Gesellschaft) — a private gathering, not open to the general public.
geschlossen auftreten [?](vocabuo://word/geschlossen%20auftreten) — to act or present oneself in a united way.
eine geschlossene Frage [?](vocabuo://word/eine%20geschlossene%20Frage) — a question with a limited set of answers, often “yes” or “no.”