⚠️ Same spelling (c-l-o-s-e), the ending sound changes the meaning!
/kloʊz/
verb — ends with /z/ (buzz)
/kloʊs/
adjective — ends with /s/ (hiss)
The vowel /oʊ/ is identical in both — only the final consonant changes. Put your hand on your throat: for the verb you feel a vibration (/z/). For the adjective there is no vibration (/s/).
verb — 'Please close the door' · the final /z/ vibrates your throat
mouth shape
mouth rounds for /oʊ/ then closes — ends with a voiced /z/ buzz, like a bee
close
/kloʊz/
vowel length
adjective — 'We live close to the school' · the final /s/ is sharp and quiet
mouth shape
same /oʊ/ vowel — but ends with a sharp, voiceless /s/ hiss, no vibration
close
/kloʊs/
vowel length
Key difference
The vowel /oʊ/ is the same in both. The only difference is the final consonant: the verb ends with voiced /z/ (feel your throat vibrate), the adjective ends with voiceless /s/ (no vibration — just a sharp hiss).
Example sentences
verb /kloʊz/:“Please close the door.”
verb /kloʊz/:“The shop closes at 9pm.”
adj /kloʊs/:“We live close to the school.”
adj /kloʊs/:“They are very close friends.”
Hear it in a sentence
“Please close the window — it's getting cold in here.”
“The finish was incredibly close: only two seconds separated the runners.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
close (verb) family ▸
close (adjective) family ▸
Related pairs
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