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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to conclude
to come to an end a book so good that you hate to see it end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to die
to stop living a great general, who ended on the field of battle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in goal
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish in this case the ends definitely do not justify the means

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Trump's biggest policy goals are currently beyond reach Trump has some big goals in the region for his second term: end fighting in Gaza, stop Iran's advances toward becoming a nuclear power and persuade Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel by joining what's known as the Abraham Accords. —Tamara Keith, NPR, 10 May 2025 The legislature passed nearly 500 bills in its 120 days of work, which ended about 7:20 p.m. as the House adjourned, shortly after the Senate. —The Denver Post, Denver Post, 10 May 2025
Noun
Gonzales said the $50 million in support for medications would not stop flowing at the end of the year, giving the current Zambian government time to procure medications in the hope of avoiding shortages. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 9 May 2025 The company’s new survey found that 57% of motorists were actively comparison shopping at the end of 2024, compared to 49% at the same time in 2023. —Dan Avery, CNBC, 9 May 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
  • China finished assembling the three-module Tiangong, which is about 20% as massive as the International Space Station, in November 2022.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • But Brunson finished Tuesday with a series-low 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting and scored only three points in the fourth quarter.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • Commentary: Is Trump's plan for tariff relief for automakers too late to stop global impact?
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • The home run barrage did not stop after the first three hitters.
    — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Their domestic intelligence agency concluded an investigation into a far-right political party known as AFD.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 May 2025
  • The episode concluded with Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) leaving Jackson, Wyoming, and heading to Seattle against town orders.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 4 May 2025
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Steven Burns is about to get another chance to convince commissioners that the same man who left Catina to die that night, is a changed man.
    — Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley, CBS News, 4 May 2025
  • After her victory, France paid tribute to her son Henry, who died from leukemia last year.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Definition of die
Noun
  • In a letter addressed to Bisignano, a group of GOP representatives said they were concerned regarding SSA staffing cuts and the ending of office leases.
    — Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
  • The ending isn’t a surprise—Alonso eventually re-signed with the Mets.
    — Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 8 May 2025
Definition of ending
Noun
  • However, this is still less than the permissible federal limit for occupational exposure.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • If all of those hold true, that puts the Patriots six players over the 90-man roster limit.
    — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of limit
Noun
  • Mikal Bridges started, played a ceremonial, singular minute to preserve his perfect attendance streak, then hit the bench for remainder of the afternoon.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Nine days into the season, Popovich suffered a mild stroke that would keep him off the bench for its remainder.
    — Mike Monroe, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of remainder
Noun
  • The Lyon goal should rightly rectify his legacy at United and hopefully earn him the respect from those outside of the club who have often so unfairly chided and ridiculed him.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • The goal, as a viewer, was to absorb the barrage of stimuli and forgo active comprehension.
    — Andrew Lampert, Artforum, 1 May 2025
Definition of goal

Phrases Containing end

Browse Nearby Words

encysts
end
endamage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“End.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/end. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on end

Nglish: Translation of end for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All