What does concluding mean?
"Concluding" is the present participle and gerund of the verb "conclude," meaning to bring something to an end or to reach a judgment after weighing evidence. It also functions as an adjective for anything positioned at or serving as the end of a sequence: a concluding chapter, concluding remarks, or a concluding paragraph. The word carries no strong emotional connotation and is used neutrally in both everyday speech and formal contexts, appearing frequently in academic, legal, diplomatic, and public-speaking settings where endings must be clearly marked. Etymologically it descends from the Latin verb claudere, "to close or shut," via the past participle conclusus, making it a sibling of words like include, exclude, and preclude. Because English places great value on signaling structure — openings, bodies, and closings — "concluding" is a practical, high-frequency term for anyone writing essays, chairing meetings, or delivering speeches, precisely identifying the element that ties everything together and signals completion.
Bringing something to an end, finishing it, or arriving at a decision or judgment after consideration.
"The negotiators were still concluding the terms of the settlement when reporters arrived."
Used with auxiliary verbs ("is concluding") or as a gerund subject ("Concluding the deal took months").
Coming at, forming, or intended as the final part of a speech, written work, section, or series.
"In his concluding chapter, the author revisits each argument presented earlier."
Almost always appears attributively before a noun, most often in formal or academic contexts.
The word "concluding" traces back to Latin claudere, "to shut" — so every time you say "concluding remarks," you are literally closing a door on the discussion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concluding
The word derives from the Latin verb concludere, formed from com- ("together") plus claudere ("to close, shut"), with the past participle conclusus meaning "shut up, closed off." It entered Middle English through Old French conclure in the late medieval period, first carrying the sense of shutting or enclosing and later developing the figurative meanings of ending a matter and reaching a decision. Its Latin root makes it a true cognate of include, exclude, preclude, seclude, and recluse, which all preserve the core idea of closing or shutting in some form.
Related word forms
How concluding is actually used
Both senses are neutral in tone and common across registers, though the adjectival sense appears most often in formal contexts such as academic writing, speeches, and legal documents.
Easily confused with concluding
"Concluding" describes something at or marking the end of something, while "conclusive" means decisive evidence that settles a question beyond doubt.