1 B1 neutral
To bring an event, meal, speech, or activity to a pleasant and satisfying conclusion.
"We rounded off the evening with a glass of champagne and some dancing."
separable
round off
B1 neutral separable transitive
To complete or conclude something in a satisfying way, or to reduce a number to the nearest convenient figure.
In plain English
To finish something nicely, or to change a number so it's easier to say or use.
What does "round off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To adjust a number to the nearest whole number or convenient figure.
"Round off your answer to two decimal places."
separable
3 B2 neutral
To smooth or remove the sharp edges or corners of a physical object.
"Use sandpaper to round off the corners of the wooden frame."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make the edges round and smooth — implies finishing neatly.
Actually means
To finish something nicely, or to change a number so it's easier to say or use.
Usage tip
Has two main senses: (1) completing/finishing something pleasingly — common in speech and writing; (2) numerical rounding — standard in maths and everyday calculation. The finishing sense often uses 'nicely' or 'perfectly' as modifiers.
Words that pair with "round off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
evening meal speech number career presentation
How to conjugate "round off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
round off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rounds off
he/she/it
Past simple
rounded off
yesterday
Past participle
rounded off
have + pp
-ing form
rounding off
continuous
Hear "round off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "round off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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