conclusion

[kuhn-kloo-zhuhn]

noun

1. the end or close; final part.

   Synonyms: finale, completion, termination, ending
   Antonyms: beginning

2. the last main division of a discourse, usually containing a summing up of the points and a statement of opinion or decisions reached.

   Synonyms: summation

3. a result, issue, or outcome; settlement or arrangement.

   The restitution payment was one of the conclusions of the negotiations.

4. final decision.

   The judge has reached his conclusion.

5. a reasoned deduction or inference.

6. Logic.,  a proposition concluded or inferred from the premises of an argument.

7. Law.

   1. the effect of an act by which the person performing the act is bound not to do anything inconsistent therewith; an estoppel.

   2. the end of a pleading or conveyance.

8. Grammar.,  apodosis.

conclusion

/ kənˈkluːʒən /

noun

1. end or termination

2. the last main division of a speech, lecture, essay, etc

3. the outcome or result of an act, process, event, etc (esp in the phrase a foregone conclusion )

4. a final decision or judgment; resolution (esp in the phrase come to a conclusion )

5. logic

   1. a statement that purports to follow from another or others (the premises ) by means of an argument

   2. a statement that does validly follow from given premises

6. law

   1. an admission or statement binding on the party making it; estoppel

   2. the close of a pleading or of a conveyance

7. lastly; to sum up

8. to come to a conclusion prematurely, without sufficient thought or on incomplete evidence

Other Word Forms

• conclusional adjective
• conclusionally adverb
• nonconclusion noun
• preconclusion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conclusion¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin conclūsiōn-, stem of conclūsiō “a closing,” equivalent to conclūs(us) “closed” (past participle of conclūdere conclude ) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of conclusion¹

C14: via Old French from Latin; see _conclude , _-ion

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in conclusion, finally.

   In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your attention.

2. try conclusions with, to engage oneself in a struggle for victory or mastery over, as a person or an impediment.

see foregone conclusion; jump to a conclusion.

Synonym Study

See end ¹.

Example Sentences

It will not normally make firm conclusions about the cause of the accident.

Read more on BBC

They said the report into Foden had been "investigating such allegations for over a year, and we have already committed to acting on all conclusions and recommendations fully and without delay".

Read more on BBC

Their key conclusions were that, if separated, each strand provided a template for creating the other and that the order of the "rungs" was a code.

Read more on BBC

She fights as if she’s been attacked, but can make winning in the ring look both spirited and a foregone conclusion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At the time of its last decision, the Fed cut interest rates by 25 basis points but said a follow-up reduction was not a foregone conclusion.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• closure 
• completion 
• consequence 
• denouement 
• development 
• ending 
• outcome 
• result 

When To Use

What is a conclusion?

The conclusion is the final section of an essay. It summarizes the points made in the essay and restates the thesis statement in different words.Students are usually taught to write an essay in three parts, with the first part being the introduction, followed by the body and ending with a conclusion.While the introduction is often considered the most important part of an essay, the conclusion is often the trickiest part to write. The goal of the conclusion is to summarize all of the major points of the essay without repeating them word for word.Articles, opinion pieces, blog posts, research papers, and other types of writing also include conclusions to tie all the points together and emphasize their importance.