odds and ends

plural noun

1
a
: miscellaneous articles
b
: miscellaneous small matters (as of business) to be attended to
2
: miscellaneous remnants or leftovers
odds and ends of food

Examples of odds and ends in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web It’s made from nylon that’s easy to clean, and has three zippered pockets: the front is small and designed to hold odds and ends like your cell phone, the main pocket has multiple compartments and a strap to keep clothes in place, and the back pocket is padded to keep your laptop safe. Carly Totten, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2024 The sturdy desk holds up to 176 pounds of weight and easily fits equipment in addition to notebooks, a lamp, coffee mugs, or other odds and ends. Alida Nugent, Peoplemag, 12 Jan. 2024 Each Business Class Suite the Qantas Dreamliner features a spacious seat that reclines into a fully-flat bed, a large screen on-demand entertainment system, plenty of storage spaces for your odds and ends, a set of Signature Qantas pajamas and amenity kits featuring Li'Tya skincare products. Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 With the Chiefs preparing to face off against the San Francisco 49ers in Kansas City’s fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years, stores can hardly keep in stock any of the caps, sweatshirts and other odds and ends (some odder than others) commemorating the sports and pop crossover romance. Mark Vancleave, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2024 With a focus on transforming antique metals, stones and other odds and ends into one-of-a-kind modern pieces, James sells a variety of earrings, necklaces and charms. Laurie Larsh, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 The studio was cluttered with art, vinyl records, dumbbells and other odds and ends. Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2024 Industry odds and ends Health care’s Q4 earnings are officially starting to roll out in earnest this week: Intuitive Surgical (Tuesday), Johnson & Johnson (Tuesday), and Elevance Health (Wednesday). Bob Herman Reprints, STAT, 22 Jan. 2024 There’s nothing better than opening up fun little odds and ends like candy, beauty products, a fuzzy pair of socks, or Apple AirTags to keep track of your necessities. Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 4 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'odds and ends.' 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

1761, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of odds and ends was in 1761

Dictionary Entries Near odds and ends

Cite this Entry

“Odds and ends.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odds%20and%20ends. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

odds and ends

noun plural
: miscellaneous articles, leftovers, or things to do

More from Merriam-Webster on odds and ends

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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