Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of making up your mind about something; a final decision or judgment reached after consideration. This refers to the mental process of deciding or the resulting judgment itself.
   • The last part of something; the end or finish of an event, process, or text. This refers to the final section or the point where something stops.
   • A proposition arrived at by logical reasoning. This is a statement that logically follows from given premises, especially in formal arguments.
   • The act of ending or settling something. This refers to the action of bringing something to a close or final agreement.
   • An intuitive assumption or guess. This is a judgment formed without conclusive evidence.

Examples of Usage

• As a final decision or judgment:
  • After reviewing the data, she came to the conclusion that the project was not viable.
  • The jury's conclusion was that the defendant was guilty.
• As the final part or end:
  • At the conclusion of the speech, the audience applauded.
  • The conclusion of the book was both surprising and satisfying.
• As a logical proposition:
  • If the premises are true, the conclusion of a valid syllogism must also be true.
• As the act of ending or settling:
  • The conclusion of the peace treaty ended the decade-long conflict.
• As an intuitive assumption:
  • Don't jump to a conclusion without hearing all the facts.

Advanced Usage

• "In conclusion": Used to introduce the final part of a speech or piece of writing, signaling a summary or final statement.
  • In conclusion, I would like to thank everyone for their hard work.
• "Foregone conclusion": A result or outcome that is predictable or inevitable, often decided in advance.
  • His victory was a foregone conclusion given his overwhelming lead in the polls.
• "To bring to a conclusion": To finish or complete something.
  • We need to bring these negotiations to a conclusion by Friday.
• "To try conclusions with" (archaic/literary): To compete with or test one's strength or skill against someone or something.
  • The young knight was eager to try conclusions with the champion.

Variants and Related Words

• Conclude (verb): To bring to an end; to arrive at a judgment by reasoning.
  • The meeting will conclude at 5 PM.
  • What do you conclude from this evidence?
• Conclusive (adjective): Serving to put an end to doubt or question; decisive.
  • The DNA test provided conclusive proof.
• Conclusively (adverb): In a decisive and final way.
  • The theory was conclusively disproven.

Synonyms

• Ending, finish, close: For the final part of something.
• Decision, judgment, determination: For a final choice or opinion.
• Inference, deduction: For a logically derived proposition.
• Settlement, resolution: For the act of finalizing an agreement.

Related Phrases

• Draw a conclusion: To reach a judgment or inference.
  • It is too early to draw a conclusion from such limited data.
• Reach a conclusion: To arrive at a final decision or end point.
  • The committee failed to reach a conclusion.
• Come to the conclusion: To form a final opinion.
  • I have come to the conclusion that we need to change our strategy.

Noun

1. the act of making up your mind about something
   • the burden of decision was his
   • he drew his conclusions quickly
2. the last section of a communication
   • in conclusion I want to say...
3. a final settlement
   • the conclusion of a business deal
   • the conclusion of the peace treaty
4. the act of ending something
   • the termination of the agreement
5. the proposition arrived at by logical reasoning (such as the proposition that must follow from the major and minor premises of a syllogism)
6. event whose occurrence ends something
   • his death marked the ending of an era
   • when these final episodes are broadcast it will be the finish of the show
7. the temporal end; the concluding time
   • the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell
   • the market was up at the finish
   • they were playing better at the close of the season
8. an intuitive assumption
   • jump to a conclusion
9. a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
   • a decision unfavorable to the opposition
   • his conclusion took the evidence into account
   • satisfied with the panel's determination