conclude

1
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point a brief reminder of tonight's game concluded the announcements

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb conclude differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of conclude are close, complete, end, finish, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

Where would close be a reasonable alternative to conclude?

While the synonyms close and conclude are close in meaning, close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When is it sensible to use complete instead of conclude?

The meanings of complete and conclude largely overlap; however, complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

When might end be a better fit than conclude?

The synonyms end and conclude are sometimes interchangeable, but end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

In what contexts can finish take the place of conclude?

The words finish and conclude can be used in similar contexts, but finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When could terminate be used to replace conclude?

In some situations, the words terminate and conclude are roughly equivalent. However, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conclude However, in April 1994, the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division dismissed them, concluding that any conviction was unlikely. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025 The three major indexes are still all tracking to end the month — which concludes with today’s closing bell — in the green. Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025 The 12th installment of the show, featuring Kim Kardashian and subtitled Delicate, premiered in September 2023 and ran in two parts, concluding in April 2024. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 31 Oct. 2025 Both bills were introduced in July, but so far neither has received a vote — and won’t until at least after the ongoing federal government shutdown concludes. Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conclude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conclude
Verb
  • The benefit reductions for November are temporary, and SNAP recipients are expected to receive full benefits once the government shutdown ends and regular appropriations have been approved.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Hong Kong — Qatar Airways will sell its stake in Cathay Pacific Airways for $896 million, ending its eight-year shareholding in Hong Kong’s flagship carrier.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • And Los Angeles did not stop there.
    Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The goal of the program, arranged through the hotel concierge, is to encourage discovery of the soul of an area through bold design, local culture, and meaningful connections.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Insofar as it is left to the invisible hand to arrange these matters, this scenario seems truly unavoidable.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this year, the team decided to rebrand, choosing a name more in keeping with the brand's vision – and Fold was born.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Raised in a traditional Catholic home, Doty, out of economic necessity, had decided to pay off her debts by working in the adult entertainment industry, hoping the job would just be a temporary solution.
    Will Tizard, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both also connected really deeply with their big-name players and understood how to communicate with those individuals to get the best out of them.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Deadline understands that 26 crew members of Tulsa King‘s 600-member crew were asked not to return for Season 4, which is expected to resume production in a week.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In all, five Aztecs finished in double figures.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The wood-free Hyper Core composite walls are finished in automotive grade aluminum outer panels framed out via 11-gauge aluminum corner rails, protecting the trailer from low branches and flying debris.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Timor-Leste’s oil and gas wells are already running dry, with oil production at the Bayu-Undan field in the Timor Sea—the country’s only producing field—ceasing production in June 2025.
    Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The pattern held on many Western rivers; without regulations on what people could keep, wild fisheries would simply cease to exist.
    Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This has given the conflict a religious coloration, and political elites have also chosen to politicize the conflict to negotiate power and other interests, which has complicated the problem.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • One head of a negotiating delegation told CNN they were being charged more than $20,000 for two weeks in a three-bedroom apartment.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conclude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conclude. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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