To conclude means to bring something to an end or to reach a decision based on evidence and reasoning.

When a teacher concludes class, she finishes the lesson and dismisses everyone. When a book concludes, you reach the final pages where the story wraps up. The ending itself is called the conclusion. A speech, a meeting, or a concert all conclude when they finish.

The word also means to figure something out by putting pieces of information together. If you notice your dog's empty food bowl, muddy paw prints on the floor, and your sister whistling innocently in the kitchen, you might conclude that she fed the dog and took him outside. A detective examines clues at a crime scene and concludes who committed the theft. Scientists conduct experiments and conclude whether their hypothesis was correct.

When you conclude something through reasoning, you're drawing a conclusion: a judgment you reach after considering the facts. In a debate, you might hear someone say “I conclude that...” before stating their final position. The process of reaching that judgment is sometimes called concluding, like when a jury concludes that a defendant is guilty or not guilty based on the evidence presented in court.