Meaning & use
came to a close
Last updated
“came to a close” is a form of “come to a close”.
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
ended or finished, especially after a period of time
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the subject is usually an event, meeting, or period of time.
Patterns
- something came to a close
- the meeting came to a close
The concert came to a close with a beautiful fireworks display.
After three days of talks, the summit came to a close without a clear agreement.
As the year came to a close, she looked back on everything she had achieved.
Common combinations
- the meeting came to a close
- The meeting came to a close at noon.
- the event came to a close
- The festival came to a close on Sunday evening.
- the year came to a close
- As the year came to a close, the company announced record profits.
- the ceremony came to a close
- The ceremony came to a close with the national anthem.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ended
- More direct and neutral; 'came to a close' sounds slightly more formal and often suggests a gradual or ceremonial ending.
- concluded
- Formal and often used for official events or meetings; 'came to a close' is a little warmer and less technical.
- finished
- The most general word; 'came to a close' is more literary and usually describes events rather than tasks.
Opposites
Word family
- come to a close phrase
- The base form, meaning to end or finish.
- bring something to a close phrase
- To cause something to end; used when someone actively finishes an event.
Commonly confused: came to a close or close?
came to a close vs close
As a verb, 'close' means to shut something; as an adjective, it means near. 'Came to a close' is a fixed phrase meaning 'ended'.
Practice
The conference ______ with a speech by the CEO.
Choose one answer.
'Came to a close' is the correct fixed phrase meaning 'ended'. The other options are not grammatical English phrases.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “came to a close”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.