# conclude

/kənˈkɫud/ (US) · /kənklˈuːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/conclude
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to finish or end

verb · CEFR B1 · Formal

to bring something to an end, or to come to an end.

For teachers: to bring a speech, meeting, or piece of writing to a formal close; also functions as an intransitive verb meaning to terminate.

- The speaker concluded her presentation by thanking the audience for their time.
- The legal proceedings concluded after three weeks of testimony, leaving the jury to deliberate on the complex evidence presented.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'with' or 'by'.

### 2. to decide based on facts

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to decide that something is true after you have thought about it carefully.

For teachers: to reach a logical judgment or opinion by reasoning; to infer or deduce from evidence.

- The doctors concluded that the patient needed surgery after looking at the test results.
- Based on the statistical anomalies in the data, the researchers concluded that the initial hypothesis was fundamentally flawed.

Usage: Frequently followed by a 'that' clause.

### 3. to settle an agreement

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to complete a formal agreement or a business deal.

For teachers: to bring about a final result, such as a treaty or business arrangement, through negotiation.

- The two companies finally concluded the deal late last night.
- The diplomats worked tirelessly to conclude the peace treaty before the ceasefire deadline expired.

Teaching tip: In this sense, 'conclude' is almost exclusively used for high-level formal agreements like treaties or multi-million dollar contracts.

## Examples

- The meeting will conclude with a short presentation.
- After reviewing all the evidence from the experiment, the researchers were able to conclude that the new drug was effective.
- While the initial data seemed promising, the committee had to conclude that the project was no longer financially viable under current market conditions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.