cadence
A harmonic progression that concludes a phrase, section, or piece.
In Depth
A cadence is the harmonic equivalent of punctuation — it marks the end of a phrase, section, or complete piece. The most common cadences are the perfect cadence (V–I, which sounds conclusive), the plagal cadence (IV–I, the amen cadence), and the imperfect cadence (ending on V, which sounds unfinished).
Understanding cadences is fundamental to music theory and composition. Composers use deceptive cadences (V–vi) to surprise the listener, and half cadences to create suspense. The cadence shapes the listener's sense of arrival and departure, and learning to hear cadences is one of the first skills developed in ear training.
The deceptive cadence (V–vi) gets its name because it sets up the expectation of resolution and then deliberately denies it — composers have used this trick for centuries to keep listeners engaged.