conclude

American  

[kuhn-klood] / kənˈklud /

verb (used with object)

concludes, present (3rd person singular) concluded, past participle, past concluding present participle

1. to bring to an end; finish; terminate.

   to conclude a speech with a quotation from the Bible.

2. to say in conclusion.

   At the end of the speech he concluded that we had been a fine audience.

3. to bring to a decision or settlement; settle or arrange finally.

   to conclude a treaty.

4. to determine by reasoning; deduce; infer.

   They studied the document and concluded that the author must have been an eyewitness.

5. to decide, determine, or resolve.

   He concluded that he would go no matter what the weather.

6. Obsolete.

   1. to shut up or enclose.

   2. to restrict or confine.

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verb (used without object)

concludes, present (3rd person singular) concluded, past participle, past concluding present participle

1. to come to an end; finish.

   The meeting concluded at ten o'clock.

2. to arrive at an opinion or judgment; come to a decision; decide.

   The jury concluded to set the accused free.

conclude British  

/ kənˈkluːd /

verb

1. (also intr) to come or cause to come to an end or conclusion

2. (takes a clause as object) to decide by reasoning; deduce

   the judge concluded that the witness had told the truth

3. to arrange finally; settle

   to conclude a treaty

   it was concluded that he should go

4. obsolete to confine

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preconclude
  verb (used with object)
• unconcludable
  adjective
• nonconcluding
  adjective
• concluder
  noun
• concludible
  adjective
• concludable
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has concluded
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have concluded
  perfect
• is concluding
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been concluding
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been concluding
  perfect progressive
• concluding
  participle
• are concluding
  progressive
• am concluding
  progressive 1st person singular
• concludes
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had concluded
  perfect
• was concluding
  progressive singular
• were concluding
  progressive plural
• had been concluding
  perfect progressive
• concluded
  simple
• concluded
  participle

Future

• will conclude
  simple
• will have concluded
  perfect
• will be concluding
  progressive
• will have been concluding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of conclude

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin conclūdere “to close, end an argument,” equivalent to con- con- + -clūdere, combining form of claudere “to close ”

Explanation

The verb conclude means two related things: coming to a decision, and bringing to a close. Conclude is related to the word close, which is related to an old Latin word for "barrier" or "bolt" — the kind you put on a door. When you conclude something, it's as though you're pulling a door shut and bolting it. If your girlfriend concludes an argument by leaving the room and slamming the door, you can conclude that she's angry at you.

Example Sentences

Mandery is right to conclude that such statutes “haven’t remotely fulfilled their promise.”

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026

When you consider all the ingredients and put them together in one pot, you could only conclude Novak Djokovic and Joao Fonseca cooked up a French Open classic.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

JD.com stated the acquisition is funded by private bank debt and cash, not foreign subsidies; the EU aims to conclude by Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Some see emails like this and conclude their boss could be hostile to them, leaving them fearful of losing promotion opportunities or worse.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

After much discussion, we conclude that we are not so much sick as weak from starvation.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung

Related Words

• accomplish
• achieve
• carry out
• confirm
• decide
• determine
• establish
• rule
• work out