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Glite Dictionary
✅ To finish 🏷️ To sell everything 🚫 To prevent
to close out

to close out

1 6.5
Prevent a chance or option from being used
  • phrasal verb
  • /kloʊs aʊt/
translation icon : cerrar la puerta a
  • The manager decided to close out negotiations to prevent any further delays.

Examples

  • Due to your timely reporting, we believe we've discovered and closed out this exposure.

    Blog text (14)

  • The new regulations will close out any chance of the project receiving funding.

  • I am also troubled by how Apple seems to close out competition.

    Blog text (14)

  • Charlotte isn't a good perimeter shooting team either, while Memphis has improved markedly in that area, so they need to close out on the Grizzlies' shooters while knocking down the open looks they get for themselves.

    Blog text (32)

  • It's a team-wide trend, but for Kidd in particular, his rotations on defense and ability to close out on three-point shooters are often lacking in the first half, only to improve dramatically by the final stanza.

    Blog text (22)

  • She took steps to close out any potential arguments before they could arise.

Synonyms

to rule out
vsto close out
246 3.5

Decide that an idea, cause or option should not be considered

is proactive to stop options becoming possible later
to suppress
vsto close out
176 4.8

To stop public protest by force or by people in power

focuses on preventing occurrence by removing chance beforehand
to shut out
vsto close out
99 3.8

To stop something from entering, being included, or being thought about

aims to make involvement impossible before consideration
to pull the plug
vsto close out
87 5.5

To stop something from going on by removing support like money

acts early to ensure the outcome cannot happen later
to preclude
vsto close out
55 7.2

To stop something from happening or make it impossible

is proactive, making events impossible before they occur
to put a lid on
vsto close out
  • US
9 6.4

To stop something from continuing or becoming known

seeks to block possibilities before they emerge
to foreclose
vsto close out
  • Formal
8 7.9

To stop something from happening or make it impossible

is a formal act that makes future possibilities impossible
to close the door on
vsto close out
1 5.1

To stop an idea or plan from happening by rejecting it

is proactive action to make future occurrence impossible
to blockade
vsto close out
1 6.1

To stop someone or something from making progress

aims to make outcomes impossible by blocking routes beforehand
to call a lid
vsto close out
  • UK
8.4

To stop a meeting or discussion

tries to prevent future continuation or consideration early

Antonyms

to enable
459 2.3

To give someone the ability or chance to do something

to facilitate
  • Formal
187 4.9

To make a task or process easier and help it happen

How Prevented

to preclude
55 7.2
to close out
1 6.5
to preempt
  • US
26 6.8
to eliminate
  • NSFW
502 3.4
to rule out
246 3.5

Surface Forms

close out infinitive
closed out past
closed out past participle
closing out present participle
closes out third person singular

Morphology

close + out

The meaning 'to make impossible / prevent from being considered' is partly derivable from 'close' (to end/stop) combined with the particle 'out' which commonly signals exclusion or removal, so a learner who knows both constituents could infer a sense like 'rule out' or 'shut out'. However, phrasal-verb meanings with 'out' are variable and the nuance of anticipatory prevention (and other senses like commercial 'close out') is not fully predictable without exposure, making it only partially transparent.

Etymology

Close out can mean to shut the door on something: picture locking a door so no more chances or ideas can come in. That's why it means 'to make something impossible' or 'to prevent it'.