concluded
B2Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The past tense and past participle of 'conclude': to bring something to an end; to decide something after careful thought or reasoning.
Refers to having reached a final decision, judgment, or settlement, or having formally ended an event, agreement, or speech. Implies a sense of finality and completion following a process of consideration.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries a strong implication of intentionality and deliberation. Often used in formal, academic, legal, and business contexts to denote a definitive end point derived from evidence or discussion. Differs from simple 'ended' by emphasizing reasoning or formal closure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use it identically in formal and general contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in everyday British English than in American, where it is common in business and media.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects within formal writing and speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] concluded [that-clause][Subject] concluded [agreement/negotiations][Subject] concluded [speech/remarks] with [noun phrase][Subject] concluded [by doing something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to draw to a conclusion”
- “to bring matters to a close”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The board concluded that the merger was not viable. / The quarterly review was concluded ahead of schedule.
Academic
The researcher concluded that the hypothesis was unsupported by the data.
Everyday
We concluded our walk just as it started to rain. / He concluded his story with a surprising twist.
Technical
The experiment was concluded after 72 hours of observation. / The diagnostic routine concluded with error code 0.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The inquiry concluded last week.
- She concluded her lecture with a thought-provoking quote.
American English
- The trial concluded yesterday.
- They concluded the deal after months of negotiation.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Conclusively' is related but not a direct adverb of 'concluded').
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Conclusively' is related but not a direct adverb of 'concluded').
adjective
British English
- The concluded agreement is now legally binding.
- This is a concluded matter and won't be reopened.
American English
- The concluded contract was filed with the court.
- Please refer to the concluded section of the report.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film concluded at nine o'clock.
- The teacher concluded the lesson.
- They concluded the meeting early.
- The scientists concluded their experiment.
- After analysing the results, we concluded that the method was effective.
- The peace talks were successfully concluded in Geneva.
- The appellate court concluded that the earlier ruling had been based on a procedural error.
- Having reviewed all the evidence, the committee tentatively concluded in favour of the proposal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'CONsidered all the CLUES and then DECIDED' = con-clud-ed.
Conceptual Metaphor
JOURNEY'S END (e.g., 'The negotiations concluded successfully'), FINAL VERDICT (e.g., 'The jury concluded he was guilty').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid overusing the Russian cognate 'заключить' (zaklyuchit') which can mean 'to imprison' or 'to insert'. 'Concluded' is primarily about ending or deciding, not physical confinement.
- Do not confuse with 'include'. 'Conclude' is about ending, 'include' is about containing.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'concluded to do something' (incorrect) instead of 'concluded that one should do something' or 'decided to do something'.
- Confusing 'concluded' with 'included' in spelling and pronunciation.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'concluded' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while common in formal contexts, it can be used for everyday events (e.g., 'We concluded our chat'), though 'finished' or 'ended' is more casual.
'Concluded' often implies a process of thought, discussion, or formal procedure leading to an end. 'Finished' is more general and can refer to completing any task without the nuance of deliberation.
No, it is not standard. Use 'concluded that...' or switch to a synonym like 'decided' or 'resolved' if you need an infinitive structure (e.g., 'decided to leave').
Yes, it is perfectly correct and common, meaning something has ended very recently (e.g., 'the just-concluded conference').