close shop

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close shop" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It means to cease operations or to shut down a business or organization. Example: Due to financial struggles, the small local bookstore was forced to close shop after 20 years of serving the community.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Many delegations to the UN close shop during August.

The Economist

The flooding was getting progressively worse since last summer, so the board decided to close shop.

The New York Times

Our landlord will either grant us a rent reduction, or we will have to close shop".

The Guardian

Who can blame Mr. Alessandrini for feeling it's time to close shop?

The New York Times

Many tourist-based stores and restaurants close shop until April or May.

The New York Times - Travel

You might as well close shop if you can no longer deal in that way.

The New York Times - Arts

Tight credit has squeezed small and medium-sized businesses, and forced hundreds to close shop, raising the unemployment rate.

The New York Times

"I always close shop to eat," said one of the until-that-moment-sleeping students in the back, very offended.

The New Yorker

But otherwise, much of the government that is paid for through the Congressional appropriations process would close shop.

The New York Times

While other dot-coms tighten their belts or close shop, Tutor.com is looking at 2001 as an opportunity.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

After years of expansion, Tesco has announced plans to close shops across the UK.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "close shop" when referring to the act of ceasing operations, especially in contexts where the business or organization is facing difficulties or reaching a natural conclusion.

Common error

Avoid using "close shop" in literal contexts where you simply mean to temporarily shut a physical store. It's best used when conveying the permanent cessation of business.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close shop" functions as an idiomatic verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use. It signifies the act of ceasing operations or shutting down a business or organization.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the idiomatic phrase "close shop" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression meaning to cease operations or shut down a business. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and the examples show it's most frequently found in News & Media. While generally neutral in tone, more formal alternatives may be preferred in certain contexts. When writing, be sure to use the expression to refer to the permanent closing of a business, and not simply a temporary closure.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shut down business

Emphasizes the act of closing a company.

close down permanently

Emphasizes the finality of the closure.

shutter the business

Uses a more evocative term for closing a business.

cease operations

Focuses on the formal action of stopping business activities.

discontinue operations

Another formal way to express stopping business activities.

terminate operations

A more formal way of saying ceasing operations.

cease trading

Specifically refers to stopping commercial activities.

go out of business

Highlights the financial failure leading to closure.

liquidate assets

Focuses on selling off assets as part of closing down.

fold up

An informal and succinct way of saying to close a business.

FAQs

How can I use "close shop" in a sentence?

You can say, "Due to declining sales, the company had to "close shop"." It implies ceasing business operations.

What's an alternative to using "close shop"?

Alternatives include phrases like "go out of business", "cease operations", or "shut down business", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "close shop" in formal writing?

While "close shop" is widely understood, more formal options like "cease operations" or "discontinue operations" might be preferable in very formal or academic contexts.

What does it mean to "close shop"?

To ""close shop"" means to permanently cease operations or shut down a business, organization, or activity. It usually suggests a final decision to stop operating.