end up

verb

ended up; ending up; ends up

: to reach or come to a place, condition, or situation that was not planned or expected

The book ended up in the trash.

He didn't want to end up like his father.

She ended up a rich woman.

He ended up (living) in a nursing home.

The movie we wanted to see was sold out so we ended up seeing a different one.

Examples of end up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Canada is up 5-0 in the 75th minute after Qatar's Mohammad Al Manai went to clear a shot on goal by Jacob Shaffelburg, only to end up deflecting it into the net for yet another goal for Canada. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026

Whoever ends up playing the America 250 or (shudder) Freedom 250 gigs, the Chicks are our pick for Band of the Sesquicentennial. —Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2026

O’Neil’s 15-year-old son and his uncle ended up using the two tickets, while O’Neil, his wife and another relative watched from a nearby bar. —ABC News, 19 June 2026

Now, if the tire ends up blowing out on you anyway, here are some lifesaving tips to follow. —Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Rhymes for end up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup