How to Pronounce Close

To pronounce "close", say CLOS-e — 2 syllables, IPA /kləʊz/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

close

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying close, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

2

Syllables

5

Letters

/kləʊz/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “close”

"close" has 2 syllables: clos-e. It rhymes with repose and morose, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: clothes, klose — easy to mix up when writing.

What does close mean?

noun

  1. An end or conclusion.

    “We owe them our thanks for bringing the project to a successful close.”

  2. The manner of shutting; the union of parts; junction.

verb

  1. (physical) To remove a gap.
  2. (social) To finish, to terminate.

Synonyms

endfinalenarrowshutclose offclose upcovershut offclose down

Antonyms

beginningstartextendwidenopenbegincommence

Hear “close” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with close

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

reposemorosecomposegrandioseposeimposebellicoseexposeopposejuxtaposedisclosegross

Related words

confiningrestrainedendterminusfinisconclusionendingfinish

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "close"?▾

"Close" has 2 syllables: clos · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "close"?▾

The IPA transcription of "close" is /kləʊz/.

What does "close" mean?▾

Close: An end or conclusion.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “close” in the full dictionary →