ending

noun

end·​ing ˈen-diŋ How to pronounce ending (audio)
: something that constitutes an end: such as
a
: conclusion
a movie with a happy ending
b
: one or more letters or syllables added to a word base especially in inflection

Examples of ending in a Sentence

I didn't like the book's ending. Common verb endings in English are “-s,” “-ed,” and “-ing.” You can often recognize an English adverb by its “-ly” ending.
Recent Examples on the Web While the characters run into problems here and there — money troubles, college-admissions stress, a health scare — happy endings prevail more often than not. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Dec. 2023 The ending ultimately becomes a little plotty, but scattered throughout the film are moments of undeniable ecstasy. Lucas Trevor, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023 Although the 72-year-old widower has reached his goal, his happy ending was nearly overshadowed by a woman’s shattering heartbreak. Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023 There’s just one available per night between the period of November 2, 2023, to August 31, 2024, with the sale ending when 100 nights of reservations have been booked. Dan Koday, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2023 That predictable and rather cheesy happy ending might be the most Christmas movie thing about The Holiday. Shannon Carlin, refinery29.com, 20 Nov. 2023 Fine also says Butler continuing to speak as Elvis, even after filming ending, is tied to a technique actors use. Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023 Full moons are a time of culmination and anticipation, endings and realizations. Emily Newhouse, Allure, 22 Nov. 2023 And then also a lot of people are talking about how poignant the ending is. Chris Willman, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ending.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ending was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ending

Cite this Entry

“Ending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ending. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

ending

noun
end·​ing ˈen-diŋ How to pronounce ending (audio)
: the final part : conclusion, end
a novel with a happy ending

More from Merriam-Webster on ending

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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