endings

noun

plural of ending
1
as in finales
the last part of a process or action the plagiarism scandal was a disgraceful ending to a once-promising academic career

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cessations
the stopping of a process or activity the best part about any dental procedure is its ending

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 endings Science fiction has explored this scenario many times, and those stories almost never have happy endings. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 July 2026 At the end of a magical World Cup run filled with thrilling endings and comebacks, there was no such finish for Lionel Messi and Argentina. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026 You’ll be awed by its Escher-like effects, its confident audacity and how its many moving pieces crescendo for one of the best endings in film history. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 July 2026 Scammers often create sites that appear close to the real thing but include extra words, odd spelling or strange endings. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 Concluding the elite races were the amateur groups, which featured dramatic endings on both the men’s and women’s sides. — Fisher Isbell, AJC.com, 4 July 2026 Similar themes may return now, but with upcoming eclipses in Leo and the South Node of Destiny’s ingress into this Fire sign on July 26, the growth brought on by this transit will likely come with shifts, culminations and endings. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Come for the subtle performances and Agnès Godard’s masterful cinematography; stay for one of the greatest endings in movie history. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026 Beginnings tend to grab our attention and endings seem to linger, but the middle is where most of the good stuff happens. — Cheryl Russell, Oc Register, 28 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for endings
  1. finales
  2. cessations
  3. conclusions
  4. ends
  5. culminations
  6. halts
  7. closings
  8. closures
Noun
  • Crafted by celebrity stylist Carl Bembridge, the same artist who informed her Season Seven beauty, the hair played with elements of finales past.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 July 2026
  • Season premieres and season finales.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of finales
Noun
  • Temporary cessations of hostility, but no permanent closing of the moral and social divide between debtor and creditor, and no giving up on the thought that some lives matter more than others.
    — Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of cessations
Noun
  • Rather than accepting a single article as definitive, many readers now seek additional perspectives before forming conclusions.
    — Jeremy Fields, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The authors of that 1996 trial were themselves cautious in their conclusions.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
Definition of conclusions
Noun
  • Rookie second-round draft pick Emanuel Sharp also had a good game for the Kings (1-2), continuing to impress at both ends of the floor.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • Voros and her crew frequently skipped lunch to chase the light at both ends.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
Definition of ends
Noun
  • Similar themes may return now, but with upcoming eclipses in Leo and the South Node of Destiny’s ingress into this Fire sign on July 26, the growth brought on by this transit will likely come with shifts, culminations and endings.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
  • Full moons are culminations — don’t forget to pause and see what’s already come full circle before rushing into more.
    — Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 28 Nov. 2025
Definition of culminations
Noun
  • The automatic stay halts proceedings but doesn't compel creditors to undo pre-petition filings without operative effect.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Since prolonged production halts can cause permanent damage to oil wells, shutting them down is typically a last resort.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 June 2026
Definition of halts
Noun
  • CharlotteFive delivers the newest openings, closings, food finds and things to do straight to your inbox.
    — Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026
  • De Hooch’s picture is a puzzle box—an ingenious construction of openings and closings, insides and outsides, revelation and concealment.
    — Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026
Definition of closings
Noun
  • School closures have spiked 35 percent across the country over the past four years, propelled by a shrinking youth population and the end of covid-19 relief funds that had propped up education funding in some places.
    — Todd Wallack, Washington Post, 20 July 2026
  • The smoke settled over the region during the second half of the week, bringing a haze across the city as Picklesburgh kicked off and causing closures and event cancelations throughout the area.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Definition of closures

Browse Nearby Words

ending
endings
endless
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Cite this Entry

“Endings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/endings. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on endings

Nglish: Translation of endings for Spanish Speakers

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