conclude

conclude — verb

1. to bring a speech, meeting, event, letter, or article to an end — often with a s

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to bring a speech, meeting, event, letter, or article to an end — often with a specific closing remark, action, or final section.

Example

Eleni concluded her speech with a short quote from the poet Neruda.

conclude + with + noun pattern

The board meeting concluded just before lunch on Friday afternoon.

intransitive use: [event] concludes

Common collocations
  • conclude with
  • conclude by
  • conclude on a positive note
  • conclude a speech
  • conclude a meeting
Synonyms
  • end

    more abrupt; conclude implies a planned or natural ending

  • finish

    more general and less formal; works for any task or activity

  • close

    especially for formal events, meetings, or business; slightly less formal than conclude

  • wrap up

    informal; suggests finishing the last details quickly

Antonyms
  • begin

    the starting point that conclude moves away from

  • commence

    formal opposite — a ceremony commences and later concludes

Grammar Patterns

conclude + noun (speech / meeting / event / letter)

conclude + with + noun

conclude + by + -ing verb

Usage Note

Commonly used with the preposition 'with' to introduce the final element, or 'by' plus a gerund for the final action. The intransitive form ('the meeting concluded') is more formal than using 'end' or 'finish.'

Common Mistakes

I concluded my homework at 8pm.
I finished my homework at 8pm.
'conclude' is too formal and official for everyday personal tasks like homework.

2. to complete and settle an official agreement, contract, treaty, or business arra

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to complete and settle an official agreement, contract, treaty, or business arrangement in a final and legally binding way.

Example

The two companies concluded a trade deal worth over two million dollars.

collocation: conclude + deal / agreement / treaty

Ziad concluded the rental agreement after inspecting the apartment carefully.

Common collocations
  • conclude a deal
  • conclude a contract
  • conclude an agreement
  • conclude a treaty
  • conclude a sale
  • conclude negotiations
Synonyms
  • finalise

    British English; similar formality and meaning, especially for agreements

  • complete

    broader meaning; less specifically about business formalities

  • settle

    emphasises resolving any remaining disagreements before finalising

  • clinch

    informal; dramatic tone, often used in sports or competitive deals

Antonyms
  • break off

    to end negotiations without reaching agreement

  • cancel

    to stop a planned agreement before it is concluded

Grammar Patterns

conclude + noun (deal / contract / agreement / treaty / sale)

Usage Note

Almost always transitive. The object is limited to formal or official nouns such as contract, agreement, treaty, deal, sale, or investigation. Not used for everyday tasks ('concluded my laundry'). Frequently found in business, legal, and diplomatic writing.

Common Mistakes

We concluded the party at midnight.
We concluded the contract at midnight.
For informal social events, use 'end' or 'finish'; 'conclude' is reserved for official/formal matters.
She concluded a new job.
She concluded a contract for her new job.
The direct object must be the formal arrangement, not the outcome.

3. to form a definite opinion or make a judgment about something based on careful c

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to form a definite opinion or make a judgment about something based on careful consideration of the facts, evidence, or information — for example, concluding that a plan will not succeed after reviewing all the costs.

Example

The doctor concluded that the patient simply needed more rest and a better diet.

conclude + that-clause for reasoning

Talia concluded from her exam results that she needed extra help with mathematics.

conclude + from + noun + that-clause

Common collocations
  • conclude that
  • conclude from
  • conclude on the basis of
  • conclude after reviewing
Synonyms
  • infer

    more specific — based on logical deduction from specific evidence

  • deduce

    more scientific/logical; suggests step-by-step reasoning

  • determine

    more definitive and final; often used in official or legal contexts

  • decide

    less formal and less emphasis on a reasoning process

Antonyms
  • doubt

    to lack certainty, the opposite of reaching a firm conclusion

  • question

    to remain open about something rather than judging it settled

Grammar Patterns

conclude + that-clause

conclude + from + noun + that-clause

Usage Note

Typically followed by a that-clause to state the judgment, or by 'from' plus a noun to indicate the evidence used. More formal and deliberate than 'decide' — it implies a process of reasoning rather than a quick choice. Does NOT take a to-infinitive ('concluded to go').

Common Mistakes

He concluded to stay home.
He concluded that it was better to stay home.
Sense 3 takes a that-clause, not a to-infinitive.
I concluded the answer was right after a quick guess.
I concluded the answer was right after checking the calculations.
'Conclude' implies careful reasoning, not a hunch or guess.

Word family

  • conclusion
    nounB2
  • conclusive
    adjectiveC1
  • inconclusive
    adjectiveC1
  • concluding
    adjectiveB2
  • conclusively
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Conclude', 'end', 'finish', 'close', and 'wrap up' all refer to bringing something to a stop, but they differ in formality and focus. 'Conclude' is the most formal of the group and often implies a planned, natural, or ceremonial ending — a speaker concludes a lecture, or a treaty concludes a period of conflict. 'End' is the most neutral and abrupt — a movie ends, a relationship ends. 'Finish' emphasises reaching the last stage of a task or activity, whether formal or casual (finish a meal, finish a race). 'Close' is slightly more formal than 'end' and is common for events, meetings, and business periods (close a meeting, close an account). 'Wrap up' is distinctly informal and suggests adding final touches quickly (let's wrap up the discussion). Use 'conclude' for formal public events, official proceedings, or structured pieces of writing; use 'end' or 'finish' for everyday situations.

endfinish ↗close ↗wrap up ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in conclusion
  • to conclude
  • bring to a conclusion

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'conclude' comes from the Latin verb 'concludere', which is a combination of 'com-' (together, completely) and 'claudere' (to shut). Its original meaning was 'to shut up' or 'to enclose'. Over time, the sense shifted from physically closing something to bringing events, discussions, or reasoning to a close. By the 1600s, 'conclude' had gained its modern meanings of both 'bringing to an end' and 'reaching a judgment through reasoning.'