Every conclusion synonym answers one of two questions: how did it end, or what did you decide? End, close and finale answer the first. Finding, verdict and inference answer the second. A third set, led by summary, names the last part of an essay or report.
Below, the three meanings are split apart because another word for conclusion has to match the one you intend. You also get a tone scale, sample swaps from essays and meetings and a short note on phrases that start a closing paragraph.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
end, close, finding, verdict, summaryPart of speech
NounMost formal
culmination, termination, perorationMost casual
wrap-up, the bottom lineFor research
finding, inference, deductionAntonyms
beginning, start, introductionWatch out
Result is what happened; conclusion is what you decided it means. Data gives results, people draw conclusions.
Ending or judgment: sort it first
| Meaning | Words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The end of an event | end, close, finish, finale | At the close of the meeting, we voted. |
| A decision reached | finding, verdict, judgment | The panel's finding surprised no one. |
| Reasoned from evidence | inference, deduction | The inference rests on two studies. |
| Last part of a text | summary, closing section, recap | The summary repeats the main claim. |
| Finishing a deal | settlement, signing, closing | The closing on the house is Friday. |
The tone strip from wrap-up to culmination
Read the strip above left to right, from chatty to ceremonial. Wrap-up is spoken and relaxed. End is plain and fits anywhere. Close is a touch more polished. Finale suggests a big, often dramatic last act, like fireworks. Culmination means the high point that a long effort builds toward: the culmination of four years of study.
Do not reach for culmination when an event simply stopped. A meeting that ran out of time had an end, not a culmination.
Swaps from essays, meetings and research
- The conclusion of the film is sad becomes the ending of the film is sad.
- The jury reached a conclusion becomes the jury reached a verdict.
- The main conclusion of the study becomes the main finding of the study.
- At the conclusion of the talk becomes at the close of the talk.
- Her conclusion is that rents will rise becomes her judgment is that rents will rise.
- The conclusion of the treaty took months becomes the signing of the treaty took months.
A lab report says: "In conclusion, the conclusion of this experiment is that heat speeds the reaction." Replace the noun with finding and the opener with a plain verb: "Overall, this experiment shows that heat speeds the reaction."
Words for the last paragraph of an essay
Teachers often say the conclusion when they mean the final section. In your own writing you can call it the closing paragraph, the summary or the closing remarks (for a speech). An epilogue is a section after the main story, mostly in books. Peroration is a formal term for the rousing end of a speech and rarely suits student work.
To open that paragraph without the stock phrase, see the in conclusion synonyms page and the finally synonyms page. Other openers live on the transition words list.
Conclusion synonym traps: result, outcome, decision
Result and outcome describe what happened, while a conclusion is the meaning you draw from it. The match ended in a draw, which is the outcome; the conclusion fans drew was that the teams were evenly matched.
Decision is a choice to act, which may follow a conclusion. You conclude the bridge is unsafe, then decide to close it. Assumption is the reverse of a conclusion: it comes before the evidence, not after it.
Opposites of conclusion
For the end of something, the opposite is beginning, start or opening, with commencement as the formal choice. For a text, the opposite of the conclusion is the introduction. For a judgment reached by reasoning, the starting point is a premise.
- The opening of the novel is slow, but the ending is gripping.
- Check each premise before you trust the argument.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for conclusion in an essay?
Closing paragraph and summary are the clearest names for the final section. If you mean the point you have proved, use finding or main claim.
Which word for conclusion sounds most formal?
Culmination works for the high point of an effort, and termination for the formal ending of a contract or process. Inference and deduction are formal words for a reasoned judgment.
Can I use result instead of conclusion?
Only sometimes. Results are what you observed, and conclusions are what you decide they mean, so a lab report usually needs both words in separate sections.
What is a synonym for come to a conclusion?
Decide, conclude, determine and settle on all work. Reach a verdict fits courts and panels, and draw an inference suits academic writing.
Does conclusion have a clear antonym?
Beginning and start are the general opposites. For a piece of writing, the introduction is the opposite part.