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
Keep scrolling through to shop more skincare products from Dermelect, and don’t forget to use the code JOY15 before the sale ends on November 7. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025 If the season ended after Week 9, the Chiefs would not be in the playoffs. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
The former Indianapolis Colts owner didn’t want anyone to miss his message following the Colts’ catastrophic end-of-season collapse that was punctuated by a 26-11 loss to the 3-14 Jaguars. —James Boyd, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025 Zohran Mamdani on His Unlikely Rise When the screens at the Brooklyn Paramount event confirmed his victory, attendees loudly cheered for minutes on end. —Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Nov. 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
  • In all, five Aztecs finished in double figures.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The wood-free Hyper Core composite walls are finished in automotive grade aluminum outer panels framed out via 11-gauge aluminum corner rails, protecting the trailer from low branches and flying debris.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • On third-and-1 with seven seconds left, Schakel took the snap and tried to spike the ball, which would have stopped the clock and given his team one final play to go for the win.
    — Alex Valdes, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Among those who do use an advisor, 26% are considering switching and 18% may stop using an advisor altogether.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Women from 130 countries are participating in this year’s edition, which concludes on November 21 with the crowning of the winner.
    — Anabella González, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Williams returned to his alma mater and guided UNC to three NCAA titles (2005, 2009, 2017) and concluded with a career record of 903-264.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • The driver of the car that was hit died at the scene, according to police.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Nov. 2025
  • In filing the suit, the city was following the lead of Norma Nazario, who, in 2024, sued TikTok and Meta for the wrongful death of her fifteen-year-old son, Zackery, who died surfing, claiming that algorithms encouraged her son to become addicted to the act.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of die
Noun
  • Did the 'Christy' ending happen in real life?
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The ending of the film certainly leaves it open to the possibility.
    — Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of ending
Noun
  • Many major airlines are also waiving change fees and penalties for passengers who are looking to switch their flights on their own, though some carriers are applying limits.
    — Rob Wile, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Union Square, which was to be my neighborhood for the next twenty-five years, was off limits after dark back then.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
Definition of limit
Noun
  • See list for remainder of 2025, start of 2026 Remaining full moons in 2025 Thursday, Dec. 4: Cold Moon John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect.
    — Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Collection activity had been paused for roughly five years, a remainder of Covid-era policies meant to offer relief to borrowers.
    — Annie Nova, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of remainder
Noun
  • With their passage, Mamdani as mayor gets a boost towards his goal of building 200,000 more units of permanently affordable housing over the next 10 years.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2025
  • His goal over the next year is to replace 100% of the city’s buses with low-emission and zero-emission vehicles.
    — Erin McMullen, Time, 5 Nov. 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 12 Nov. 2025.

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