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

Cameron Barr, owner of Craft + Tailored and a longtime vintage watch dealer, served as the film’s horological advisor—and ended up playing himself on screen. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025

Informal salvage businesses buy old batteries and melt the lead in makeshift furnaces, releasing waste that ends up in the air, soil, and water. —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025

Both Chargers cornerbacks, circled in yellow, ended up on one side of the formation. —Daniel Popper, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

In avoiding risk, what ends up happening is that a very small group of composers gets hired over and over again. —Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for end up

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