ends 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of end
1
as in concludes
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 stops
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 expires
to come to an end a book so good that you hate to see it end

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4
as in dies
to stop living a great general, who ended on the field of battle

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ends

2 of 2

noun

plural of end
1
as in endings
the stopping of a process or activity the end of hostilities brought general rejoicing

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2
as in limits
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 remainders
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 purposes
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 tips
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 closes
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 edges
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 fates
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 portions
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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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 ends
Verb
The decision, for now, ends Grab’s first attempt to expand outside Southeast Asia. — Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 The loss of Flyte and Coe (Tom Brooke) earlier in the season leaves the Horses a little worse for wear, but Slow Horses has one parting blow for our semi-competent hero, River (Jack Lowden), before the season ends. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026 Trump has told reporters in recent days that his goal remains to secure a peace deal that ends the world’s deadliest conflict since World War II. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 The development ends the abolition of the death penalty, which had been in effect since 2018 under the previous and democratically elected president, Roch Marc Christian Kabore. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 Plans for the development also include public parks and an extension of The 606 Trail, which now ends at Ashland Avenue on the other side of the river. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 And test on mid-lengths and ends first — oils that work beautifully on one hair type can flatten another. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026 The true meaning of Haws Cinema becomes clear when the film ends and the children return to their tents, shelters, and damaged homes. — Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026 When the mandate ends, the force will have one year to wrap up its operations and withdraw. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
Naz Reid struck fire midway through the fourth, executing, in quick succession, plays on both ends of the court. — Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026 The bloody slayings unfolded about three miles apart, near the southern and northern ends of University Ave. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 Oct. 2026 Today’s Theme At 60-Across, we’re asked for a term that describes something [Like an untrustworthy business] — which, the revealer clue suggests, doubles as [a hint to the ends of 17-, 29-, 39- and 47-Across]. — Sam Corbin, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2026 The opening on the opposite side of the dish room is not finished and has metal wall studs and sheet rock ends exposed. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 Frank Darling, another buzzy online engagement ring retailer, takes advantage of something called a bypass shank in the above ring, which implies that the ends of the band curve past the center stone versus generating a straight, uniform loop. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026 But defining where harmless fun ends and harmful manipulation begins is far from straightforward. — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026 Her work at both ends of the court — including dropping a shocking 30 points in Game 2 against the league’s best defense — has led the Dream to a dominant start in the series. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 In conference rooms and attempts at collective action alike, these two opposite ends of the supply chain often have different agendas and different ideas of success, and many speak different languages — literally and figuratively. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ends
  1. concludes
  2. stops
  3. expires
  4. dies
  5. endings
  6. limits
  7. remainders
  8. purposes
Verb
  • Based on this, today’s report concludes that global climate pledges are falling short.
    — Simmone Shah, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tour concludes with dates in African cities including Lagos, Cape Town, and Johannesburg through January 2027.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of concludes
Verb
  • The New Braunfels, Texas, resident kept a frenetic touring schedule, headlining major Texas venues and mid-sized dance halls around the country, with occasional arena or amphitheater stops opening for Koe Wetzel thrown in.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Nighttime mouth breathing is associated with snoring, dry mouth, receding gums and sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops repeatedly during sleep.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of stops
Verb
  • So Skydance is hardly in position to spend $20 million to $30 million a year on Aikman or compete with ESPN to land Olsen, whose Fox contract expires after the season.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The timeline calls for the Royals to move to the new stadium a year before the team’s lease at Kauffman Stadium expires.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of expires
Verb
  • One in five people who contract Vibrio Vulnificus — a species of the bacteria that causes necrotizing fasciitis, a condition in which the flesh around a wound dies — typically die, according to the Center for Disease Control.
    — Eva Flowe October 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • When a whale dies and sinks to the ocean floor, its carcass provides sustenance for deep-sea organisms for centuries, triggering a shockwave of life.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dies
Noun
  • The main reason the Giants have a chance to win every week, though, despite all their injuries and heart-stopping endings, is that Jameis Winston is playing well as their starting quarterback.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Dramatic — and sometimes controversial — endings were the story of a wild college football Saturday, with late-game calls deciding some outcomes and potentially having an effect on how the College Football Playoff shapes up a couple months from now.
    — Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of endings
Noun
  • Some of the rooms are off-limits, but visitors will get to see Duke's extraordinary collection of Islamic art.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Flight imposes strict weight limits, so birds pack enormous numbers of very small neurons into very small brains.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of limits
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 remainders
Noun
  • The benefit of being an official NFL partner is more for marketing purposes instead of anything that actually impacts lines.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Well, myself and the people in my office, but yes, for all intents and purposes, it has not been seen by anyone.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of purposes

Phrases Containing ends

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end-runs
ends
end-time
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Cite this Entry

“Ends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ends. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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