1
as in ending
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point
the team closed out the season with major losses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excluding
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of
don't assume an attitude that closes out any possibility of a compromise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in closing (down)
to stop the operations of
failing health forced the cardiologist to close out his practice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of closing out
Shoppers unexpectedly paused their spending in December from November, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on a lackluster tone.
—
Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
That would be Southeast Division rival Atlanta, the very team the Hornets meet on Saturday at State Farm Arena before closing out their pre All-Star break schedule against the Hawks four days later in uptown at Spectrum Center.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
The department did not elaborate on what closing out that shots fire call entailed.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Two nights later, WWE will follow up with Raw, before closing out the month with the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
—Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
After closing out the year in Finland with boyfriend Scooter Braun, Sydney Sweeney is back in Hollywood for her first red carpet of 2026—and bringing major bombshell glamour, of course.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Clemson will face off against the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday before closing out the 2025 season with matchups against Louisville, Furman and South Carolina.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
The cuts -- which break down as layoffs for 1,000 people and closing out 800 open roles -- will impact managers at about 3 times the rate of other employees.
—Soo Youn, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2025
Bella was a bombshell in blonde, closing out the show with white angel wings to match the ones Gigi wore earlier in the show.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
That would be Southeast Division rival Atlanta, the very team the Hornets meet on Saturday at State Farm Arena before closing out their pre All-Star break schedule against the Hawks four days later in uptown at Spectrum Center.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
The department did not elaborate on what closing out that shots fire call entailed.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Two nights later, WWE will follow up with Raw, before closing out the month with the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
—Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
After closing out the year in Finland with boyfriend Scooter Braun, Sydney Sweeney is back in Hollywood for her first red carpet of 2026—and bringing major bombshell glamour, of course.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Clemson will face off against the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday before closing out the 2025 season with matchups against Louisville, Furman and South Carolina.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
The cuts -- which break down as layoffs for 1,000 people and closing out 800 open roles -- will impact managers at about 3 times the rate of other employees.
—Soo Youn, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2025
Bella was a bombshell in blonde, closing out the show with white angel wings to match the ones Gigi wore earlier in the show.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closing out
Verb
-
For LeBron James, missing the game meant the Lakers’ All-Star became ineligible for NBA postseason awards, ending his streak of making the All-NBA team at 21 seasons.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
James then missed a 3-point attempt at the other end, ending the back-and-forth bid, and the Thunder closed out the win at the free-throw line.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This, to justify excluding sociology classes as meeting core requirements, now the status quo for all state universities in Florida.—
Wendy Nelson Espeland,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
For the first nine months of the year, sales globally were up 1%, excluding the impact of currency exchange rates.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The friends along with two women and children were finishing a meal from Wingstop at the apartment when the argument led to gunfire, Davis’ mother, Sherika Kennedy, told the Star-Telegram.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2026
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Rodriguez starred in Season 6 of the Peacock dating series and was one of the breakout stars that year, making it to the final and finishing in third place, coupled with Jana Craig.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While in Congress, Harder has advocated for banning corporate political action committees and has opposed the Delta Tunnel project.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Proponents of banning major firms from buying single-family homes, many of whom are on the Left and populist Right, argue that those investors are crowding the market for homebuyers.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Both have received insufficient attention over the past several decades, and the federal government is all but shutting them both down.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Copenhagen is shutting the door on Cloud Dancer and turning full attention to brighter, more vibrant colors this season.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Newsom is winding up eight years as governor with a mixed record at best.—
Tom Philp,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The water is naturally filtered in the wetlands before winding up back in the reservoirs.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Paramount has already increased its output from eight to 15 films since closing the Paramount Skydance transaction in August.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
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For its part, WaterTower Theatre has produced the stage version of the landmark 1960s coming-of-age film and novella The Graduate (closing Sunday), written a quarter a century ago by British playwright and director Terry Johnson.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has long alleged, without evidence and despite multiple independent reviews concluding the opposite, that the 2020 election was stolen from him.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The Oscars, which are concluding a decades-long run with ABC and Disney, will follow a growing selection of live programming streamed on YouTube, including the first-ever NFL game last fall.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Closing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closing%20out. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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