closed system

American  

noun

Thermodynamics.

1. a region that is isolated from its surroundings by a boundary that admits no transfer of matter or energy across it.

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closed system Scientific  

1. A physical system that does not interact with other systems. A closed system obeys the conservation laws in its physical description.

2. Also called isolated system

3. Compare open system

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Etymology

Origin of closed system

First recorded in 1895–1900

Compare meaning

How does closed-system compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• open system vs. closed system

Example Sentences

Even if you’re using an employer’s closed system, just don’t copy and paste your notes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

This would be a significant change to Apple's "closed system", where apps can only be downloaded from its own App Store.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

It is a closed system that enables water recirculation so that each seedling gets exactly the nutrients it needs.

From Science Daily • Dec. 27, 2023

It’s because it was a closed system and was small and deep that you get this kind of preservation.

From Scientific American • Sep. 13, 2022

Wal-Mart, when you’re in it, is total—a closed system, a world unto itself.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich