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

• concluder
  noun
• concludable
  adjective
• concludible
  adjective
• nonconcluding
  adjective
• unconcludable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• concluding
  present
• concluded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• conclude
  simple
• concludes
  simple
• have concluded
  perfect
• has concluded
  perfect
• am concluding
  progressive
• are concluding
  progressive
• is concluding
  progressive
• have been concluding
  perfect progressive
• has been concluding
  perfect progressive

Past

• concluded
  simple
• had concluded
  perfect
• was concluding
  progressive
• were concluding
  progressive
• had been concluding
  perfect progressive

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

Warsh said he hopes most of the task forces, if not all of them, will conclude their work by the end of this year.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026

"Instruct your negotiators to come to the July session ready to conclude," they said.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

The memorandum of understanding, providing a rough framework to conclude the war, was signed digitally Sunday, with a ceremony scheduled to take place on Friday in Switzerland, U.S. officials said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026

"We cannot conclude that they are analogous to human names both because animals signals are often so different and because we don't understand the full intent behind the signals."

From Science Daily • Jun. 14, 2026

The court didn't conclude that he was innocent and must be released, but it ruled in our favor on every other claim and ordered a new trial.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

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