One syllable: closed.
klohzd
/kloʊzd/
closed is pronounced klohzd (/kloʊzd/). It has one syllable (closed), with the stress on "closed". Closed is the past participle and adjective form of close, typically describing something shut or not open, or describing a person’s demeanor as reserved or secretive. In everyday use, it often functions as a predicate adjective (e.g., The door is closed) or as an attributive adjective (e.g., a closed container). The pronunciation features a final /d/ with an unvoiced final consonant cluster in rapid speech.
Closed is the past participle and adjective form of close, typically describing something shut or not open, or describing a person’s demeanor as reserved or secretive. In everyday use, it often functions as a predicate adjective (e.g., The door is closed) or as an attributive adjective (e.g., a closed container). The pronunciation features a final /d/ with an unvoiced final consonant cluster in rapid speech.
"The store is closed on Sundays."
"She kept her lips closed during the interview."
"The closed box sat on the shelf, taped shut."
Say /loʊzd/ in US and /ləʊzd/ in UK/AU. Start with the long vowel diphthong, then a voiced /z/ followed by a released /d/. The main trap is the subtle vowel before the /z/—keep it as a single, smooth glide (no extra syllable). Emphasize the final /zd/ cluster without tensing the jaw; the tongue should stay relaxed after the /z/ before the /d/. IPA: US /loʊzd/, UK/AU /ləʊzd/.
Common errors include pronouncing as two syllables (clo-sed) due to over-enunciating the /o/ vowel, and omitting the /d/ or making it sound like a /t/ in rapid speech. Also some learners accidentally voice the /t/ sound or insert an extra vowel before the /z/. To fix: keep the vowel as a single diphthong, ensure the /z/ is voiced, then release into a clean /d/—no extraneous vowel between /z/ and /d/.
In US English, it’s /loʊzd/ with a clear /oʊ/ diphthong and a voiced /z/ followed by /d/. UK English tends to have a slightly shorter /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and can flatten the vowel before /z/, but keeps /zd/ sequence. Australian English often aligns with UK in vowel quality but may show a more centralized vowel before /z/ in rapid speech. Across all, the final cluster remains /zd/.
The difficulty lies in the vowel before the consonant cluster and the rapid /z/–/d/ release. The /z/ is voiced and must not become a /s/; the following /d/ should be a quick, soft release, not a strong alveolar stop change. Learners often insert a schwa before /z/ or devoice the /d/. Focus on a smooth glide into a single syllable, and avoid dividing the word with an extra vowel. IPA cues help: /loʊzd/ or /ləʊzd/.
No silent letters here; both the /o/ vowel and the /z/ and /d/ are pronounced. The challenge is in the exact articulation of the /z/ between a vowel and a postvocalic /d/, ensuring voicing carries through and the /d/ isn’t elided in rapid speech. Tip: think of it as a single compact consonant cluster after the vowel, not two separate closures. IPA reminder: /loʊzd/ or /ləʊzd/.
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The form closed comes from the adjective close, itself from Old English clǣosan (to shut, to close) and from Proto-Germanic *klai- (to cling, to shut). The past participle closed emerged through the general English pattern of adding -ed to verbs and adjectives to indicate completed action or state. The root close traces to Proto-Germanic *klaiþaną or *klaiþaną, linked to the act of binding, shutting, or sealing. Over time, closed acquired a range of figurative senses (e.g., secretive, not open to discussion) beyond its physical sense of “shut.” In Middle English, closed and close began to diverge: close as a verb to shut, and closed as the past participle/adjective describing the resulting state. The modern usage consolidates both senses, with closed functioning as a descriptor of the state of being shut, or of something that is not accessible or available. The transition from tangible closure to abstract “not open” senses occurred gradually through metaphorical extension in the late medieval and early modern periods, aided by the general grammatical shift toward fixed participial adjectives in English. First known uses appear in texts from the 13th to 14th centuries, with the stacked, property-adjective sense becoming common by the 16th century and continuing into contemporary usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "closed" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "closed" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "closed"
-sed sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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