conclusief
Conclusief is an adjective in Dutch that denotes something that settles a matter or leaves little room for doubt. It is used to describe evidence, findings, or arguments that are sufficient to determine an outcome. In formal contexts such as law, science, journalism, or policy discussions, conclusief implies finality and binding force. For example, a sentence like "Het onderzoek levert conclusief bewijs op dat de verdachte schuldig is" illustrates its typical use. The term also appears in phrases such as conclusieve bevindingen or conclusieve resultaten. A related distinction exists with concluderend, which refers to reasoning that leads to a conclusion rather than the strength of the conclusion itself. A statement can be described as conclusief if it is decisive or definitive, whereas concluderend describes the argumentative process.
Etymology and related terms: conclusief derives from the noun conclusie (conclusion) and the verb concluderen (to
Usage and tone: the word is common in Dutch-language legal, scientific, and formal writing and is typically