conclusion
conclusion — noun
1. the last section or closing stage of an event, story, speech, or piece of writin
the last section or closing stage of an event, story, speech, or piece of writing
The conclusion of the film left the audience in complete silence.
collocation — 'conclusion of [thing]' for final section
Vikram added a brief summary to the conclusion of his research paper.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the newlyweds walked down the aisle together.
The novel's final chapter serves as a satisfying conclusion to the whole story.
Femi thanked his supporters during the conclusion of his election speech.
文法句型
the conclusion of [something]
用法筆記
Often preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of' + noun phrase (e.g. 'the conclusion of the meeting').
常見錯誤
2. used as a set phrase to introduce the final statement in a discussion, speech, o
used as a set phrase to introduce the final statement in a discussion, speech, or piece of writing before finishing
In conclusion, the study confirms that regular exercise improves heart health.
discourse marker: 'in conclusion' at sentence start
In conclusion, I want to thank all the volunteers for their hard work this year.
The speaker said 'in conclusion' and then repeated his main argument one more time.
In conclusion, the evidence strongly supports the theory that diet affects sleep quality.
- finally
more general; can list sequential points, not just the final remark
- to sum up
slightly more informal; suggests a summary rather than a closing remark
- ultimately
focuses on the final outcome rather than signalling the end of the discourse
- firstly
introduces the first point; opposite discourse function
- to begin with
opens a discussion rather than closing it
文法句型
in conclusion, [clause]
用法筆記
Almost always used at the beginning of a sentence or clause, followed by a comma. It signals the listener or reader that the end of the discussion is coming.
3. the formal act of completing or settling something such as a treaty, contract, o
the formal act of completing or settling something such as a treaty, contract, or business arrangement
The conclusion of the peace treaty ended decades of conflict between the two nations.
formal register: 'conclusion of [treaty/agreement]'
After months of hard negotiation, both sides celebrated the conclusion of the trade deal.
Lawyers handled the conclusion of the property sale in a conference room downtown.
The conclusion of the merger took much longer than the companies had first expected.
- completion
broader in meaning; can apply to any task or project, not just formal agreements
- finalisation
British spelling; emphasises the last steps before something is considered finished
- settlement
specifically implies resolving outstanding issues, often in financial or legal disputes
- commencement
the formal beginning of something
- initiation
the act of starting a process or agreement
文法句型
the conclusion of [formal agreement/treaty/deal]
用法筆記
Common in legal and business contexts. The noun is typically followed by 'of' and the thing being finalised. This sense does not describe an opinion or judgment.
常見錯誤
4. a decision, opinion, or judgment that you reach after thinking carefully about a
a decision, opinion, or judgment that you reach after thinking carefully about all the facts, evidence, or information available
After studying the clues, the detective came to the conclusion that the gardener was guilty.
collocation: 'come to the conclusion that…'
The scientists reached a surprising conclusion after analysing their experimental data.
collocation: 'reach a conclusion from [evidence]'
Don't jump to conclusions just because you saw Bilal leave early — ask him first.
Anya drew the conclusion that the cheaper option would save money in the long run.
The board's conclusion was that the company needed a completely new marketing strategy.
- judgment
can imply personal evaluation rather than purely evidence-based reasoning
- inference
more technical; emphasises reasoning from evidence to a logical conclusion
- finding
typically used in research or legal contexts for official conclusions
- verdict
specific to law, but can be used informally for any final decision
- premise
a starting assumption from which a conclusion is drawn
- assumption
something accepted as true without proof, the opposite of a reasoned conclusion
文法句型
come to / reach / draw the conclusion that [clause]
用法筆記
Frequently paired with verbs like 'come to', 'reach', 'draw', 'arrive at'. The opposite — forming a conclusion too quickly — is expressed with the idiom 'jump to conclusions'.