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
However, a lingering injury kept him out for the next game, effectively ending any chances of him winning the backup job. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025 Deadline first reported the series ending. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
City of Yes passed at the end of last year, promising to create more than 80,000 new homes over 15 years, in part by legalizing the creation of apartments in people’s backyards or basements of people’s single- and two-family homes. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2025 Tyler Glasnow had a sore right shoulder at the end of last season but is fine right now. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 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
  • To watch Lipe-Smith’s Caroline cuddle in bed watching TV on her iPad, or bopping around to JoJo Siwa, or pensively finishing a Popsicle while sitting beside her grandmother at a museum, is to have the sheer malevolence of our current administration and its adherents thrown into sharp relief.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Having finished the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado and California’s Sierra Range — including Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48 states at 14,500 feet — the next stop for the renowned Spanish endurance athlete is Mount Shasta in northern California, near the Oregon border.
    — John Meyer, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • The trend shows no signs of stopping.
    — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • To help stop the spread, wash your hands, avoid sick areas, and report symptoms quickly.
    — Jenna Anderson, Health, 4 Oct. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • The Royal Caribbean cruise ship facing a norovirus outbreak while at sea docked at PortMiami early Thursday morning, concluding a 13-night voyage.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The process concludes with compression and storage.
    — Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • About 20 living hostages remain captive in desperate conditions, Israeli officials say, and about 25 more are believed to have died, but their bodies have not been returned to their families.
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Craig Hayden, a 77-year-old church member, died trying to help another member of the church, according to a GoFundMe his daughter-in-law posted.
    — Georgea Kovanis, Freep.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of die
Noun
  • With the ending of placements at the Civic and city-funded rooms in other CoLEAD shelters, safety ambassadors who were paid to quell the violence on Third Avenue turned to other shelter organizations.
    — Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Safdie only made slight changes to the ending, like adding a conversation Kerr has with a doctor after the loss.
    — Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of ending
Noun
  • Now Kaprizov is a superstar and getting paid like one, taking reasonable expectations for star-caliber players and stretching them toward the upper limit of what’s allowable under the salary cap.
    — Murat Ates, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • There’s a limit of one dish per member.
    — Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of limit
Noun
  • One of the most effective vehicles for accomplishing all of this is a charitable remainder annuity trust, known as a CRAT.
    — Andre Pennington, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
  • The prediction of an above-average remainder of the season is based on a combination of factors, including warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Seas, and an active West African Monsoon.
    — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of remainder
Noun
  • When asked about whether as many as 300,000 workers could lose their jobs, Vought emphasized the administration’s broader goal of shrinking Washington’s reach.
    — Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • With a clearer picture of cash flow, an advisor can make investing recommendations based on your goals, risk tolerance and timeline.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 1 Oct. 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 7 Oct. 2025.

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