end up
phrasal 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
Penn State has to be thrilled with how things ended up shaking out.
—
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Greg Heffley ends up in one awkward moment after another, which creates most of the conflict between him and his dad.
—Alex Shoemaker, Parents, 5 Dec. 2025
Describing African resistance to slavery as a form of fugitive politics enables us, moreover, to confront accounts that, while acknowledging the reality of the resistance of the enslaved, end up depoliticizing it by ascribing it primarily to private emotions such as fear.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
The United States ended up in a group with Australia, Paraguay and one other team that is yet to be determined.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for end up
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Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Greg Heffley ends up in one awkward moment after another, which creates most of the conflict between him and his dad.
—Alex Shoemaker, Parents, 5 Dec. 2025
Describing African resistance to slavery as a form of fugitive politics enables us, moreover, to confront accounts that, while acknowledging the reality of the resistance of the enslaved, end up depoliticizing it by ascribing it primarily to private emotions such as fear.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
The United States ended up in a group with Australia, Paraguay and one other team that is yet to be determined.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for end up
Cite this Entry
“End up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/end%20up. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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