conduct

conduct — verb

1. to carry out an activity or process that needs planning and organization, such a

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to carry out an activity or process that needs planning and organization, such as a test, interview, or meeting

Example

The research team conducted a survey of over two thousand local residents.

conduct + survey of + noun group

Sivan will conduct the job interviews on Tuesday morning at the main office.

conduct + interview

Common collocations
  • conduct research
  • conduct a survey
  • conduct an experiment
  • conduct business
  • conduct an interview
  • conduct a review
Synonyms
  • carry out

    more general and less formal; works in everyday contexts

  • perform

    slightly more formal; focuses on completing a set task

  • execute

    more formal; suggests carrying out a plan or order precisely

Antonyms
  • neglect

    to fail to carry out a duty or task

Grammar Patterns

conduct + noun phrase (activity/experiment/survey/interview)

Usage Note

The object is typically a planned activity such as research, an experiment, a survey, an interview, or a meeting. Common in formal and professional contexts.

Common Mistakes

I conducted a mistake during the test.
I made a mistake during the test.
'conduct' is used for planned activities, not errors.
We conducted a party last weekend.
We had a party last weekend.
'conduct' is too formal for social events; use 'have' or 'throw'.

2. to act in a particular fashion, especially in formal or public contexts where ot

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to act in a particular fashion, especially in formal or public contexts where others can see you

Example

The ambassador conducted herself with great dignity during the difficult negotiations.

conduct oneself + with + noun (dignity/grace/professionalism)

All students are expected to conduct themselves responsibly while on school grounds.

conduct oneself + adverb (responsibly/properly)

Common collocations
  • conduct oneself well
  • conduct oneself properly
  • conduct oneself with dignity
  • conduct oneself in a professional manner
Synonyms
  • behave

    more common and less formal; can be used without a reflexive pronoun

  • comport oneself

    very formal; used in official or literary contexts

  • act

    broader meaning; focuses on outward actions rather than manner

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

conduct oneself + adverb (well/badly/properly/dignified manner)

Usage Note

Almost always used reflexively with 'oneself' followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase describing how the person behaves. The bare form 'conduct badly' without 'oneself' is incorrect.

Common Mistakes

He conducted badly at the party.
He conducted himself badly at the party.
You must include 'oneself' when using this sense.
She conducted nicely.
She conducted herself nicely.
The reflexive pronoun is required with this meaning.

3. to lead or guide someone to a place, usually by walking with them and showing th

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to lead or guide someone to a place, usually by walking with them and showing the way

Example

The hotel porter conducted the guests to their rooms on the fifth floor.

conduct + person + to + place

Yumi was conducted into the manager's office by a young assistant with a clipboard.

passive: be conducted into + place

Common collocations
  • conduct someone to the door
  • conduct someone into the room
  • conduct someone through the building
Synonyms
  • lead

    less formal; suggests going in front to show the way

  • escort

    similar formality; emphasises accompanying for safety or courtesy

  • guide

    focuses on showing the route rather than just accompanying

Grammar Patterns

conduct + person + preposition + place

Usage Note

More formal than 'take' or 'lead'. Often used in service settings such as hotels, hospitals, and offices where a staff member escorts someone. The preposition 'to' indicates destination; 'into' and 'through' are also common.

Common Mistakes

I conducted my friend to the cinema.
I took my friend to the cinema.
'conduct' is too formal for casual outings; use 'take' or 'lead'.

4. to take a person or group around a place, pointing out interesting features and

4.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to take a person or group around a place, pointing out interesting features and explaining what they see

Example

Imran conducted a tour of the art gallery for a group of visiting students.

conduct a tour of + place

A local historian conducts guided walks around the old town every Saturday morning.

conduct guided walks around + place

Common collocations
  • conduct a tour
  • conduct a guided walk
  • conduct a visit
  • conduct a tour of the museum
Synonyms
  • lead a tour

    less formal; more common in spoken English

  • guide

    as a verb; shorter and common in tourism contexts

Grammar Patterns

conduct + a tour + of/around + place

Usage Note

The object is always a tour, a visit, or a walk — never the person being guided. Compare with sense 3: you 'conduct a tour' (sense 4) = you lead the activity; you 'conduct a person' (sense 3) = you physically lead the individual.

Common Mistakes

I conducted the tourists.
I conducted a tour for the tourists.
The object must be the tour itself, not the people.

5. to stand in front of a group of musicians and direct their playing or singing us

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to stand in front of a group of musicians and direct their playing or singing using hand gestures or a baton

Example

Joaquín has conducted the city orchestra for over twelve years with great success.

conduct + orchestra/choir/band

The conductor raised her baton and began to conduct the second movement of the symphony.

conduct + piece of music

Common collocations
  • conduct an orchestra
  • conduct a choir
  • conduct a symphony
  • conduct a concert
Synonyms
  • direct

    less specific; can refer to film, theatre, or music

  • lead

    general; less technical in music contexts

Grammar Patterns

conduct + orchestra/choir/band

conduct + piece/composition

conduct (no object)

Usage Note

Can be used transitively (conduct the orchestra) or intransitively (she conducts beautifully). The person is called a 'conductor'. This sense is distinct from the guide-word sense of 'lead' — it refers specifically to musical direction.

Common Mistakes

He conducted the band like a strict leader.' (vague)
He conducted the orchestra with precise hand movements.
Use concrete musical terms when describing conducting in music contexts.

6. to allow heat, electricity, or sound to pass through a substance or material

6.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to allow heat, electricity, or sound to pass through a substance or material

Example

Copper wires conduct electricity much better than iron wires of the same thickness.

material + conduct + electricity

Wood does not conduct heat well, so wooden handles stay cool on cooking pots.

conduct + heat + adverb (well/depends on context)

Common collocations
  • conduct electricity
  • conduct heat
  • conduct sound
  • conduct current
Synonyms
  • transmit

    broader; can also refer to signals, diseases, and information

  • carry

    less formal; common in everyday speech about electricity

Antonyms
  • insulate

    to prevent heat, electricity, or sound from passing through

Grammar Patterns

conduct + heat/electricity/sound + through/across/along + material

Usage Note

Subject is typically a material (metal, water, wood) and the object is an abstract force (heat, electricity, sound). The noun form 'conductor' describes a material that allows transmission well ('copper is a good conductor of heat').

Common Mistakes

Water conducts cold quickly.
Water conducts heat quickly.
'Conduct' is used for heat, electricity, or sound transfer, not for 'cold'.

conduct — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Conduct', 'carry out', 'perform', 'execute', and 'undertake' all describe doing or completing an activity, but they differ in formality and scope. 'Conduct' is the most neutral of the formal set — it works for research, surveys, meetings, and business operations, emphasising that the activity is organised and managed. 'Carry out' is the everyday alternative: you carry out a plan, a threat, or an order without the same managerial nuance. 'Perform' focuses on the completion of a task according to a standard, often used for duties or operations ('perform surgery', 'perform a calculation'), and can carry technical or artistic overtones. 'Execute' is the most formal and precise, implying that something is done exactly according to a plan or instruction ('execute a strategy', 'execute a command'); it is also the legal term for carrying out a death sentence. 'Undertake' adds a sense of willingness or commitment to starting a task that may be difficult or large ('undertake a project', 'undertake a journey'). For everyday situations, choose 'carry out'; for professional contexts, 'conduct' or 'perform'; for strict adherence to a plan, 'execute'; and for taking on a challenge, 'undertake.'

carry out ↗perform ↗execute ↗undertake ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • code of conduct
  • conduct oneself
  • conduct a tour of
  • conduct an inquiry into
  • conduct business with

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'conduct' comes from Latin 'conductus', the past participle of 'conducere', meaning 'to lead or bring together'. 'Conducere' itself is a combination of 'com-' (together) and 'ducere' (to lead). The sense of 'guiding or leading' was the original meaning in English, recorded from the early 15th century. By the 16th century, it had developed the broader sense of 'managing or directing an activity'. The noun meaning 'behaviour' emerged around the same period, based on the idea of how one 'leads' or 'guides' oneself. The music-conducting sense appeared in the early 19th century, and the physics sense of transmitting heat or electricity followed in the mid-19th century.