end 1 of 2

verb

Definition of endnext
1
as in to finish
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point let's end the meeting with a short prayer

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2
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end unfortunately, an argument ended their date, and they're still not speaking to each other

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3
as in to conclude
to come to an end a book so good that you hate to see it end

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4
as in to die
to stop living a great general, who ended on the field of battle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

end

2 of 2

noun

ˈend How to pronounce end (audio)
1
as in ending
the stopping of a process or activity the end of hostilities brought general rejoicing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in limit
a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go I'm at the end of my patience with these little brats

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3
as in remainder
an unused or unwanted piece or item typically of small size or value a couple of ends of wallpaper were all that was left after we finished papering the room

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4
as in goal
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish in this case the ends definitely do not justify the means

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5
as in tip
the last and usually sharp or tapering part of something long and narrow a child's pair of scissors with blunt ends

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6
as in conclusion
the last part of a process or action the war wasn't yet over, but we were definitely at the beginning of the end

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7
as in perimeter
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something the ends of his shirt cuffs were badly frayed

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8
as in demise
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities Henry Hudson and eight others were set adrift in the bay in a small boat, and how they met their end is unknown

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9
as in portion
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group keep up your end of the bargain

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb end differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of end are close, complete, conclude, finish, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

When might close be a better fit than end?

In some situations, the words close and end are roughly equivalent. However, close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When could complete be used to replace end?

While the synonyms complete and end are close in meaning, complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

When can conclude be used instead of end?

The synonyms conclude and end are sometimes interchangeable, but conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

In what contexts can finish take the place of end?

While in some cases nearly identical to end, finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When is terminate a more appropriate choice than end?

The meanings of terminate and end largely overlap; however, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of end
Verb
Inferrera suffered a season-ending knee injury two games into the 2025 season. —John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026 There’s something clarifying about ending things above the city that stressed you out in the first place. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
By the end of the week, forecasters predict totals as high as 4 inches in coastal and valley areas and up to 8 inches in the mountains and foothills. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026 On the high end, cities with populations of 100,000 or more can go up to five miles past their boundaries with their ETJs. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for end
Recent Examples of Synonyms for end
  1. finish
  2. stop
  3. conclude
  4. die
  5. ending
  6. limit
  7. remainder
  8. goal
Verb
  • Yet few in Thailand’s volatile political arena are ever entirely finished.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
  • If none of these private stations pans out, the only LEO outpost left when the ISS crashes back to Earth will likely be Tiangong, the three-module station that China finished building in late 2022.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Definition of finish
Verb
  • Venezuela - once Cuba's top supplier - effectively stopped sending shipments in mid-December.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The government also stopped collecting and reporting crucial survey findings on transgender students — data that have shown higher rates of depression, drug use, bullying and other problems.
    — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Some current central bankers — such as Fed governors Christopher Waller and Lisa Cook, in addition to Powell himself — have concluded AI has the potential to significantly boost productivity.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Of those, 15 have been concluded and 10 are at or near conclusion.
    — STEPHEN GROVES, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Both died from complications of Alzheimer's disease.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
  • In the ongoing Yemeni civil war, close to 400,000 have died since 2014—and the number will go higher still.
    — Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • Edwards forced overtime with a clutch three-pointer before Scottie Barnes hit a game-ending, overtime three-pointer for his team in the opening mini-game against the World.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Astronomers are used to dramatic endings.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of ending
Noun
  • Even the Dodgers, the cartoon villains of spending, kind of sort of have a limit.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • On the first wet dress rehearsal, NASA was able to load the SLS rocket core and upper stages with 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX), but during the final test countdown run, an LH2 supply line leak into the core stage exceeded acceptable limits and cut the test short.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • Socrates’ reply to Glaucon was complicated, taking up the whole remainder of this lengthy dialogue.
    — Paul Rosenzweig, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Winner will serve remainder of term Whoever wins will fill the remainder of Hancock's term, which expires at the end of the year.
    — Jack Fink, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Definition of remainder
Noun
  • An assistant under Bradley and Cherundolo, Dos Santos’ first-choice tactics will be to possess the ball, counterpress and defend as far as possible from the LAFC goal, thus dominating games while attacking more through the inside with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
    — Josh Gross, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Brendan McLaughlin potted a pair of goals to prove the difference for Marshfield, rallying from an early two-goal deficit to beat Quincy/North Quincy 4-2 in Patriot League action.
    — Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of goal

Phrases Containing end

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encysts
end
endamage
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Cite this Entry

“End.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/end. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on end

Nglish: Translation of end for Spanish Speakers

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