close a transaction

Meaning

This phrase means to successfully finalize a business deal, sale, merger, or financial agreement. It implies that all legal documents have been signed, payments have been processed, and the deal is officially complete. It is heavily used in finance, real estate, and corporate law.

Examples

• The legal teams worked through the night to close the transaction before the market opened.

  The legal teams worked through the night to close the transaction before the market opened.

• We expect to close the transaction by Friday, provided all regulatory approvals are met.

  We expect to close the transaction by Friday, provided all regulatory approvals are met.

• It took several months of intense negotiations to finally close the transaction.

  It took several months of intense negotiations to finally close the transaction.

• Once we close this transaction, our market share in Asia will double.

  Once we close this transaction, our market share in Asia will double.

• The investment bank assisted the firm in its efforts to close the complex transaction.

  The investment bank assisted the firm in its efforts to close the complex transaction.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We finally ended the transaction yesterday.

  ✓ We finally closed the transaction yesterday.

  In professional business contexts, deals and financial agreements are 'closed,' not 'ended' or 'finished.'

• ✗ The parties agreed to close up the transaction.

  ✓ The parties agreed to close the transaction.

  'Close up' means to shut a building or heal a wound. The correct financial collocation is simply 'close a transaction.'

Related Expressions

Practice

• Both parties are eager to ___ the transaction before the end of the fiscal year.

  💡 The verb meaning to finalize or complete a deal.

  Show answer

  close

• We cannot close the ___ until all the legal paperwork has been verified.

  💡 The noun meaning a business deal or piece of business.

  Show answer

  transaction