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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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

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
Iran largely withdrew its forces from Syria, ending more than a decade of Iranian influence over the country. —Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026 DeRozan returns to lineup DeRozan returned to the lineup 24 hours after an illness forced him to miss his first game of the season in Tuesday’s win over the Bulls, ending his streak of 126 consecutive games. —Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
Early Monday morning, oil prices spiked to nearly $120 per barrel before dropping significantly by the end of the day. —Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 11 Mar. 2026 Federal officials announced the end of the ICE surge operation in late February. —Esme Murphy, CBS News, 11 Mar. 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
  • Alajuelense returned the favor, beating LAFC 2-1 at BMO Stadium a week later, but that wasn’t enough to prevent the Black & Gold from continuing on the road to finishing runners-up to León.
    — Josh Gross, Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Legislators craft viral moments for television and social media, sharpen partisan talking points and prepare for the next race long before the current term is finished.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of finish
Verb
  • Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Rather than stopping disagreements from happening, this aspect is about repairing any damage left behind.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Some questions may be adapted into full columns, and transcripts of the chats remain available after each session concludes.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Federal investigators said their review uncovered broader violations, concluding the district also allowed male students to access female-only facilities and compete on girls teams.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Twenty-three immigrants have already died in custody in the current fiscal year, putting it on pace to surpass the previous one, which had the highest number of deaths in immigration detention in decades.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
  • He was transported to a nearby hospital and died from his injuries on March 10, officials said.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • The family’s ice cream venture started in 2019 as a sweet ending to their educational farm tours, part of their efforts to advocate for Florida dairy.
    — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
  • In a signal of how much pressure there was to do right by the beloved fictional couple, four endings were written and filmed.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of ending
Noun
  • Superior spectral energy resolution, a superior point-spread-function, and high-contrast imaging can help enable all of these, above and beyond Chandra’s current limits.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
  • However, in a news release, Oak Park officials noted that the bank had closed other locations within the village limits.
    — Alice Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 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
  • Iran had been building that capacity in Iraq since the 1980s, cultivating Shia political networks, exile parties and militia groups during and after the Iran-Iraq War and beyond with the explicit goal of ensuring a post-Saddam Iraq would never again threaten Iranian security.
    — Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Awe-inspiring Jupiter is moving forward once more in your empathetic sign, lifting your confidence and inviting a fresh approach to self-care and personal goals.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of goal

Phrases Containing end

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encysts
end
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Cite this Entry

“End.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/end. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of end for Spanish Speakers

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