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to cap off

to cap off

7 3.7
Finish something with a special final action like a show or speech
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : finalizar
  • An exciting week of football upsets in Seattle was capped off by a 21-17 win for Roosevelt, leaving the Issaquah faithful stunned.
  • cap off the season
  • cap off the evening
  • cap off the day

Well, Ross, I'm really excited to, in addition, cap this news off with someone very special to you.

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Examples

  • Carl Winston capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, his second touchdown of the game.

    Blog text (10)
  • Whitlow capped off UK's drive with a 20-yard scamper to pay dirt, giving Kentucky a 14-0 lead.

    Blog text (25)
  • My runs are mostly capped off at 30 minutes, simply because that seems like a good, round, easy number.

    Blog text (19)
  • The weekend features parties and tours, capped off with a fancy dance ball inspired by the episode "Shindig."

    Blog text (20)
  • And Floyd Mayweather Junior has another big, stunning victory to cap off his rise to stardom.

  • Alumni Weekend will be capped off at halftime with 17 former Steelers being recognized on-field for a special ceremony.

    Blog text (7)
  • First came a 93-yard drive that tailback Charles Ross capped off with a two-yard TD run.

    Blog text (10)
  • After trick-or-treating, 8-year-old Timothy O'Bryan chose a Pixy Stix to cap off his evening.

    Blog text (2)
  • The team celebrated their championship win, and to cap off the festivities, they threw a big parade.

  • She wrote the final chapter of her novel, eager to cap off her years of hard work.

Synonyms

to end
vsto cap off
1.0

To stop something or make it finish

implies completion through a single notable or decisive act
to complete
vsto cap off
1.0

To finish something or make it whole

is distinguished by finishing through a notable decisive action
to wrap up
vsto cap off
226 3.0

Finish an activity or task

uses a distinct, notable action to mark the completion
to finish up
vsto cap off
190 2.0

To complete an activity or task

contrasts by using a notable or decisive final action
to top
vsto cap off
92 3.2

To finish something by adding a final detail or touch

focuses on a single decisive action rather than just a flourish
to finalize
vsto cap off
  • US
74 3.8

Complete the last details to make something ready

finishes by one clear decisive act rather than paperwork or details
to culminate
vsto cap off
  • Formal
56 6.3

Reach the most important final point of an activity or event

completes by a clear, decisive action rather than gradual peak
to culminate in
vsto cap off
31 6.1

Reach a final high point that ends with a specific result

is more about a decisive final act than a gradual climax
to finish off
vsto cap off
31 2.5

To complete the last part of a task

does this with a single notable or decisive closing action
to top off
vsto cap off
  • Informal
30 3.9

Add a final thing to make something feel complete

emphasizes a single notable action that decisively completes
to wind up
vsto cap off
17 3.7

Bring an activity or meeting to an end

finishes instead with a decisive and notable final action
to go out with a bang
vsto cap off
  • Informal
12 6.0

End something in a memorable and exciting way

uses a clear, decisive action to complete things notably
to finish out
vsto cap off
11 4.0

To complete something by adding the final touches

differs by ending with a single striking or decisive act
to end with a bang
vsto cap off
  • Informal
2 4.6

To finish in an exciting and memorable way

relies on a single decisive action to finish notably
to cap it all off
vsto cap off
  • Informal
5.7

To finish something in a very impressive way

ends with a notable or decisive single action

Antonyms

1.0

To start an activity, event, or speech

How Final

to conclude
  • Formal
50 3.9
to end
1.0
to cap off
  • Informal
7 3.7
to finish
1.0
to wrap up
226 3.0

Surface Forms

cap off infinitive
capped off past
capped off past participle
capping off present participle
caps off third person singular

Morphology

cap + off

The sense ‘to finish or complete’ can be partly inferred from 'cap' (to top or cover) plus the particle 'off' which often signals removal or completion, so a learner could plausibly guess it means to bring something to a close. However, the mapping from 'putting a cap on' to the abstract sense 'finish/close with a notable action' is metaphorical and not fully predictable without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

The verb phrase cap off comes from the image of putting a cap (a lid or the last stone) on top of something to finish it. So, if you 'cap off' a speech or an event by doing something special at the end, it means 'to finish' or complete something with a clear final action.