conclude
kuhn-KLOOD
Conclude (verb) means to bring something to an end; to finish. Example: “The festival will conclude with fireworks over the harbour on Sunday night.”
verb
1
To bring something to an end; to finish.
"The festival will conclude with fireworks over the harbour on Sunday night."
"The ceremony concluded with a round of applause."
"She concluded her speech by thanking the volunteers."
2
To decide something after considering the evidence; to reach a judgment.
"After reading both reports, we conclude that the bridge is safe to use."
"From her long silence, I concluded that she was upset."
"Investigators concluded that the fire was accidental."
How to use conclude
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo finish something, or to reach a final decision or judgment based on evidence.
Common pairings
conclude that
conclude a deal
conclude a speech
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- concludes
- Past tense
- concluded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The festival will _____ with fireworks over the harbour on Sunday night.
Etymology
From Latin conclūdere, "to shut up, close, end."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for conclude
See all rhymes for conclude →Frequently asked questions
What does “conclude” mean?
The word “conclude” means to bring something to an end; to finish. In plain terms, to finish something, or to reach a final decision or judgment based on evidence.
How do you pronounce “conclude”?
“Conclude” is pronounced kuhn-KLOOD (/kənˈkluːd/ in IPA).
How do you use “conclude” in a sentence?
Here is “conclude” used in a sentence: “The ceremony concluded with a round of applause.”
What is the opposite of “conclude”?
The opposite of “conclude” — its antonyms — are begin, initiate, start and commence.
What part of speech is “conclude”?
“Conclude” is a verb.
Where does the word “conclude” come from?
The word “conclude” comes from Latin. From Latin conclūdere, "to shut up, close, end.".
Is “conclude” a common word?
“Conclude” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “conclude” have?
“Conclude” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to bring something to an end; to finish.
What is the difference between conclude and infer?
To conclude is to reach a final judgment after considering the evidence, usually stated as a definite decision. To infer is to work out something that is suggested but not directly stated; inference is a step in the reasoning, while a conclusion is the endpoint you arrive at.
What is the difference between conclude and deduce?
Both involve reaching a judgment through reasoning. "Deduce" stresses arriving at a specific answer by logical steps from known facts, while "conclude" simply means to decide something after weighing the evidence, and it can also mean to bring an event or piece of writing to an end.
When should you use conclude instead of end or finish?
"Conclude" is the more formal choice and suits speeches, meetings, ceremonies, and written work, as in "she concluded her talk." "End" and "finish" are plainer and more general, so you might conclude a meeting in formal writing but finish dinner in everyday speech.
What is the difference between conclude and assume?
To conclude is to decide something after considering the evidence, so a conclusion is supported by reasoning. To assume is to take something as true without proof, before or instead of examining the evidence, which is the opposite starting point from concluding.
