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 Case in point: After crunching the numbers, a 2025 analysis published in Nature Communications concluded that total dairy consumption was linked to a 4% reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease and a 6% decrease in stroke risk. Mercey Livingston, SELF, 30 June 2025 The probe, led by the HHS Office for Civil Rights, concluded that the university's response to antisemitic incidents constituted both neglect and active complicity, violating statutory protections against discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 After nearly 16 hours, the Senate clerks concluded their reading of the bill on the floor, starting the clock on debate. Kaia Hubbard june 29, CBS News, 29 June 2025 Cruise ruled the box office with gigs in Rain Man (1988), The Firm (1993), Vanilla Sky (2001), Minority Report (2002), The Last Samurai (2003), War of the Worlds (2005), and his eight-film Mission: Impossible franchise, which concluded in 2025. EW.com, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for conclude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conclude
Verb
  • States would be responsible for them, and — miracle of miracles — state and federal agencies actually agreed on how to manage grizzlies after ESA protections end.
    Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
  • Episodes ended by dangling game rules and character deaths, beguiling us to keep watching.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Trying to stop the runaway, Jeff was knocked to the concrete and sustained a fractured skull and other life-threatening injuries that left him in a coma for weeks.
    Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • Without any consequences, this autocratic politician will continue to push the limits of his authority beyond the breaking point until someone forces him to stop.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • According to El País, Leyva traveled to the U.S. in April and tried to arrange meetings with high-profile Republicans including Florida U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
  • In addition to their other tasks, house cleaners will arrange little items like these neatly.
    Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • After a marathon session, the Senate narrowly passed their version of the legislation with Vice President Vance having to cast the deciding vote.
    JJ Kinahan, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Jo’s novel is about a woman who decides to kill herself by preparing and eating a deadly blowfish.
    Literary Hub July 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Some things are beyond the capacity of a child to understand, while others resonate most profoundly out of the mouths of babes.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 July 2025
  • The class is offered by the Peace and Justice Institute, an Orlando nonprofit that hosts workshops on topics like conflict resolution, understanding trauma, emotional intelligence and parenting.
    Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Pelinka also engineered the splendid undrafted free agent signing that was Austin Reaves, which led to the Lakers finishing this season as the third seed in the West.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
  • Mark worked in the advertising industry After finishing high school, Mark attended Texas Christian University.
    Alex Gurley, People.com, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • Seven of the health facilities that Save the Children had supported in the region have fully closed, and 20 more have partly ceased operations.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
  • In 2021, Iran revealed its plan for taking enrichment from 20% to 60%, and soon afterward ceased to provide any further details on its fuel-making program.
    Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Deals like those could get done before the official start time because teams are allowed to negotiate with their own free agents once the NBA Finals are finished.
    Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 1 July 2025
  • Years from now, there may not even be a need for agencies to negotiate and buy TV ad spots.
    Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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