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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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
Ukraine and its European allies (who have not been invited to the talks) also argue that Putin is not serious about ending the conflict of more than three years. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025 Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after striking out Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels to end the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim... —Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
Let Wednesday stand as the unofficial end of San Francisco’s season — the day the last bit of hope was extinguished. —Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025 If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. —Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 13 Aug. 2025 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
  • That production resulted in him winning the Offensive Player of the Year award and finishing third in the MVP balloting.
    — Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Verlander set a season-high in innings and finished one away from his personal-best this year in strikeouts.
    — Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • Texas Democrats fled their state on August 3, heading to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, in order to stop Republicans from approving the redrawn House maps sought by President Donald Trump that would give the GOP five more winnable seats before next year's midterm elections.
    — Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025
  • That means that education will continue to be a big part in stopping scammers.
    — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Researchers estimate that the actual number is even larger, taking into account births after the study's window concluded.
    — De Elizabeth, Parents, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The final four episodes will conclude the eight-episode season.
    — Jane LaCroix, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Superstore star Jon Miyahara, who played Brett on all six seasons of the NBC comedy, has died at 83.
    — Lauren Huff Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Topline Brandon Blackstock, singer and talkshow host Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband and father of her two children, has died after a three-year battle with cancer, his family announced Thursday.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of die
Noun
  • The ending to our season really speaks to that question.
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
  • It was released from trigeminal nerve endings surrounding cranial blood vessels.
    — Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Definition of ending
Noun
  • For instance, in a practical deployment, I leveraged interval proofs to continually confirm that a fund’s leverage ratios never breached pre-established limits.
    — Mirror Tang, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Here are the inspection scores and violations for restaurants within the city limits of Dallas for Aug. 3rd - Aug. 9th, 2025.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Aug. 2025
Definition of limit
Noun
  • With Gordon out of the game, the Boston bats went quickly and quietly for nearly the entire remainder of the game.
    — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2025
  • For those who are charitably inclined, the after-tax amount of a traditional IRA distribution can generate lifetime income when it is used to fund a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Definition of remainder
Noun
  • The goal is not to hand over the keys—but to build stewards who understand the engine.
    — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • That could also undermine Trump’s key goal of lowering interest rates: A lack of trustworthy data could drive investors out of US Treasuries, sending bond yields higher, and increasing the cost of living for Americans.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
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 20 Aug. 2025.

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