conclusion

conclusion — noun

1. the last section or closing stage of an event, story, speech, or piece of writin

1.nounB1
Definition

the last section or closing stage of an event, story, speech, or piece of writing

Example

The conclusion of the film left the audience in complete silence.

collocation — 'conclusion of [thing]' for final section

Vikram added a brief summary to the conclusion of his research paper.

Common collocations
  • the conclusion of
  • at the conclusion of
  • bring to a conclusion
  • conclusion of the story
Synonyms
  • end

    more general; conclusion suggests a structured, deliberate closing section rather than a simple stop point

  • closing

    often used as an adjective (closing remarks); less formal than conclusion

  • finale

    used for performances or shows; implies a dramatic or impressive finish

Antonyms
  • beginning

    the first part or opening stage

  • start

    the point at which something begins

Grammar Patterns

the conclusion of [something]

Usage Note

Often preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of' + noun phrase (e.g. 'the conclusion of the meeting').

Common Mistakes

There was a happy conclusion of the film.
The film had a happy ending.
For stories, 'ending' is more natural than 'conclusion' for the final emotional resolution.

2. used as a set phrase to introduce the final statement in a discussion, speech, o

2.nounB1
Definition

used as a set phrase to introduce the final statement in a discussion, speech, or piece of writing before finishing

Example

In conclusion, the study confirms that regular exercise improves heart health.

discourse marker: 'in conclusion' at sentence start

In conclusion, I want to thank all the volunteers for their hard work this year.

Synonyms
  • finally

    more general; can list sequential points, not just the final remark

  • to sum up

    slightly more informal; suggests a summary rather than a closing remark

  • ultimately

    focuses on the final outcome rather than signalling the end of the discourse

Antonyms
  • firstly

    introduces the first point; opposite discourse function

  • to begin with

    opens a discussion rather than closing it

Grammar Patterns

in conclusion, [clause]

Usage Note

Almost always used at the beginning of a sentence or clause, followed by a comma. It signals the listener or reader that the end of the discussion is coming.

3. the formal act of completing or settling something such as a treaty, contract, o

3.nounB2
Definition

the formal act of completing or settling something such as a treaty, contract, or business arrangement

Example

The conclusion of the peace treaty ended decades of conflict between the two nations.

formal register: 'conclusion of [treaty/agreement]'

After months of hard negotiation, both sides celebrated the conclusion of the trade deal.

Common collocations
  • conclusion of the treaty
  • conclusion of the deal
  • conclusion of the agreement
Synonyms
  • completion

    broader in meaning; can apply to any task or project, not just formal agreements

  • finalisation

    British spelling; emphasises the last steps before something is considered finished

  • settlement

    specifically implies resolving outstanding issues, often in financial or legal disputes

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the conclusion of [formal agreement/treaty/deal]

Usage Note

Common in legal and business contexts. The noun is typically followed by 'of' and the thing being finalised. This sense does not describe an opinion or judgment.

Common Mistakes

The conclusion of the contract was signed yesterday.
The contract was signed yesterday.
'conclusion' refers to the act of finalising, not the document itself.

4. a decision, opinion, or judgment that you reach after thinking carefully about a

4.nounB1
Definition

a decision, opinion, or judgment that you reach after thinking carefully about all the facts, evidence, or information available

Example

After studying the clues, the detective came to the conclusion that the gardener was guilty.

collocation: 'come to the conclusion that…'

The scientists reached a surprising conclusion after analysing their experimental data.

collocation: 'reach a conclusion from [evidence]'

Common collocations
  • draw a conclusion
  • reach a conclusion
  • come to a conclusion
  • jump to a conclusion
  • arrive at a conclusion
Synonyms
  • judgment

    can imply personal evaluation rather than purely evidence-based reasoning

  • inference

    more technical; emphasises reasoning from evidence to a logical conclusion

  • finding

    typically used in research or legal contexts for official conclusions

  • verdict

    specific to law, but can be used informally for any final decision

Antonyms
  • premise

    a starting assumption from which a conclusion is drawn

  • assumption

    something accepted as true without proof, the opposite of a reasoned conclusion

Grammar Patterns

come to / reach / draw the conclusion that [clause]

Usage Note

Frequently paired with verbs like 'come to', 'reach', 'draw', 'arrive at'. The opposite — forming a conclusion too quickly — is expressed with the idiom 'jump to conclusions'.

Common Mistakes

I made a conclusion that she was lying.
I came to the conclusion that she was lying.
The correct verb pattern is 'come to / draw / reach a conclusion', not 'make a conclusion'.
Idioms

jump / leap to conclusions

idiom

to form an opinion or make a decision about something too quickly, without having all the necessary facts

Wren saw a text message on his partner's phone and immediately jumped to conclusions.

Before you leap to conclusions, let me explain what actually happened at the meeting.

a foregone conclusion

idiom

a result that is so certain to happen that it seems already decided, even before the situation is fully resolved

With their best player injured, the match was a foregone conclusion before it even started.

The election result was a foregone conclusion since the opposition had no strong candidate.

Word family

  • conclude
    verbB1
  • conclusive
    adjectiveB2
  • inconclusive
    adjectiveB2
  • conclusively
    adverbC1
  • unconcluded
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/4

All five nouns describe the result of thinking through information, but they differ in the type of reasoning implied. 'Conclusion' is the broadest term — it is the opinion you form after weighing evidence, whether in daily life or formal research. 'Judgment' leans towards personal evaluation and can include moral or subjective assessments, whereas 'conclusion' stays more neutral and evidence-focused. 'Inference' is more technical and logical; it emphasises the step-by-step reasoning from known facts to an unknown fact, and is more common in academic or scientific writing. 'Finding' is used for official results, especially after research, investigations, or court proceedings — it carries authority. 'Verdict' is primarily a legal term for a jury's decision in court, but is also used informally to mean any strong final opinion ('My verdict on that restaurant is mixed'). In everyday conversation, 'conclusion' and 'judgment' are most natural; use 'finding' for formal reports and 'inference' for logical reasoning contexts.

conclusion ↗judgment ↗inference ↗finding ↗verdict ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in conclusion
  • at the conclusion of
  • by way of conclusion

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'conclusio' (a shutting up, closing), from 'concludere' (to shut up, close off, end), from 'com-' (together) + 'claudere' (to shut). The sense of a reasoned judgment developed in the 16th century, drawing on the idea that reasoning 'closes off' a chain of thought with a final statement.