wrap things up

USAGE SUMMARY

"wrap things up" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means to complete or finish tasks or discussions. Example: "After a long day of meetings, the team gathered to wrap things up and discuss their action plans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

38 human-written examples

We're going to wrap things up, folks.

The Guardian

To wrap things up with a bow.

The Washington Post

He tries to wrap things up before we're ready sometimes.

The New Yorker

Okay, that'll about wrap things up here on our end.

The Guardian - Sport

4.29pm GMT Bye! We're going to wrap things up now.

The Guardian - Sport

12.27pm: Time to wrap things up for this evening.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

22 human-written examples

Who "wraps things up"?

The Guardian

Zhao wrapped things up with a nice attack.

The New York Times

Clinton wraps things up in his own time.

The New Yorker

As he wrapped things up, Hannity said, "Mr.

The Washington Post

How close are they now to wrapping things up?

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "wrap things up" to signal the end of a conversation, meeting, or activity, making it clear that no new topics will be introduced.

Common error

While versatile, avoid using "wrap things up" excessively in highly formal documents or presentations. Opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "conclude" or "bring to a close" in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "wrap things up" primarily functions as an idiomatic expression used to signal the end or completion of an activity, discussion, or task. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a commonly used phrase. The examples from Ludwig show its versatility in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "wrap things up" is a commonly used phrase that signals the conclusion of an activity, discussion, or task. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s grammatically correct and versatile. While generally acceptable in various contexts, including news, media, and even some business settings, it's essential to consider the formality of the situation. In highly formal or academic settings, opting for alternatives like "conclude" or "bring to a close" may be more appropriate. The phrase finds its origins in the common practice of securing items, discussions or activities to ensure they are completed well.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

finish up

Similar in meaning, but slightly more casual.

close out

Often used in business contexts to indicate completing a task or project.

conclude

A more formal alternative, suggesting a definitive end to something.

bring to a close

Emphasizes the act of formally ending something.

round off

Implies finishing something in a neat or satisfactory way.

draw to a conclusion

Implies a gradual ending, often after a period of deliberation.

wind down

Suggests a gradual decrease in activity before stopping completely.

call it a day

Suggests ending work for the day; more informal.

bring it home

Suggests completing the final steps to achieve a successful result.

put a lid on it

A more colloquial expression for stopping or ending something.

FAQs

How can I use "wrap things up" in a sentence?

You can use "wrap things up" to indicate the conclusion of an activity or discussion. For instance, "Let's "wrap things up" so we can all go home".

What's a more formal way to say "wrap things up"?

In formal settings, consider using phrases like "conclude", "bring to a close", or "finalize" instead of "wrap things up".

Is it appropriate to use "wrap things up" in professional emails?

Yes, "wrap things up" is generally acceptable in professional emails, especially when you want to signal the end of a discussion or task. However, assess your audience and the formality of the communication before using it.

What's the difference between "wrap things up" and "finish up"?

"Finish up" is very similar to "wrap things up", both indicating the completion of something. However, "wrap things up" might imply a slightly more organized or conclusive ending than "finish up".