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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Relevance

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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
LaBeouf’s campaign of terror ended when he was arrested for punching several people outside the Royal Street Inn & R Bar. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 3 June 2026 Miguel Andujar hit a light chopper to third baseman Alec Bohm, who faked a throw to first and Tatis was tagged out in a rundown to end the inning. —CBS News, 3 June 2026
Noun
In the end, though, the megamansion pitch was a bust — Wilder eventually sold her apartments in July 2022 to a pair of LLCs. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 2 June 2026 At the core of the system is an end-to-end data collection architecture that captures and processes operational data across a wide range of industrial workflows. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 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
  • When her mother’s former gallerist reaches out with the offer of a show in exchange for the series’ completion, Indigo sees it as a financial lifeline—and in the face of her mother’s staunch refusal, decides to finish the series herself.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
  • McCarthy finished two for four at the plate, including a solo homer in the third for a 2-0 lead.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
Definition of finish
Verb
  • In order to secure the funds, the family members submitted fake financial instruments and money orders, continuing to do so even after the IRS sent them letters telling them to stop, according to the statement.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
  • The order, which Trump signed in private on June 2, stops short of mandating that the federal government conduct safety evaluations and cybersecurity testing for advanced AI products.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Party activists like her but concluded this is not her time.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
  • Citing Florida’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, investment bank UBS crunched the rosy numbers and concluded that promised benefits are off.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Australia's only other fatal shark attack this year occurred in January, when a 12-year-old boy died in a hospital days after he was mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 June 2026
  • In January, a 12-year-old also died a week after he was attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbor.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • Popularized by a beer commercial during the 1986 World Cup, it’s used to rally on teams with its repetitive (albeit nonsensical) syllables as well as its upbeat ending.
    — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • Prince also excelled at crafting perfect song endings, and this is undoubtedly one of his best.
    — Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
Definition of ending
Noun
  • Those starting out with smaller investment limits might consider coins or small bullions, while those with higher balances to transfer might consider using a gold IRA.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 2 June 2026
  • The $500,000 limit is not mentioned in the ballot summary or in the amendment.
    — Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • Perhaps even a rag-tag group of remainders can put a scare into San Antonio.
    — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
  • The best-case scenario would be for the Lakers’ remainders to extend the best-of-seven series with the Rockets long enough for Doncic and Reaves to rejoin LeBron James in that Big Three, either at the end of this series or the start of the next one.
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of remainder
Noun
  • Their goal is to preserve the intimate essence of Cap Rocat for its guests.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • Best of luck accomplishing your goals today, and, of course, do keep in touch.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 1 June 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 8 Jun. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on end

Nglish: Translation of end for Spanish Speakers

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