verb (used with object), con·clud·ed, con·clud·ing.
- to bring to an end; finish; terminate: to conclude a speech with a quotation from the Bible.
- to say in conclusion: At the end of the speech he concluded that we had been a fine audience.
- to bring to a decision or settlement; settle or arrange finally: to conclude a treaty.
- to determine by reasoning; deduce; infer: They studied the document and concluded that the author must have been an eyewitness.
- to decide, determine, or resolve: He concluded that he would go no matter what the weather.
- Obsolete.
- to shut up or enclose.
- to restrict or confine.
verb (used without object), con·clud·ed, con·clud·ing.
- to come to an end; finish: The meeting concluded at ten o’clock.
- to arrive at an opinion or judgment; come to a decision; decide: The jury concluded to set the accused free.
verb (mainly tr)
- (also intr) to come or cause to come to an end or conclusion
- (takes a clause as object) to decide by reasoning; deducethe judge concluded that the witness had told the truth
- to arrange finally; settleto conclude a treaty; it was concluded that he should go
- obsolete to confine
v.early 14c., “end an argument,” from Latin concludere “to shut up, enclose,” from com- “together” (see com-) + -cludere, comb. form of claudere “to shut” (see close (v.)). Meaning “reach a mental conclusion, deduce” is from late 14c., a sense also in Latin. Related: Concluded; concluding.