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
Hence, short-term rates could end the year between 3% and 4.25% as compared to 4.25% to 4.5% currently. —Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Brandon Hyde, Baltimore Orioles The Orioles ended the 2024 regular season in a 34-38 swoon, then were swept at home by the Kansas City Royals in the wild-card round. —Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
Forever 21 will continue to honor gift cards and store credit through the end of the day on Tuesday, April 15. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025 While Texas continues to attract many Americans wishing to relocate within the country, the pace of the state's population growth has slowed down after the end of the pandemic frenzy. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 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
  • The computer’s latest forecast now has Wycombe down to finish second with an average of 88.75 points across those simulations to Wrexham’s 87.13 points.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Miami rallied, finished strong, believed, and these past two play-in games have nourished that belief.
    — Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of finish
Verb
  • When the American money stopped flowing, the local soup kitchen closed and Ms. Musa went out searching for food.
    — Declan Walsh, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The confrontation stopped and restarted as the man appeared to try to get the knife away from Perez over the fence.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of stop
Verb
  • After the video concluded, Dončić wiped away tears before joining his teammates.
    — Wayne Sterling, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
  • China's tariff rate is now in triple digit territory, and who knows what happens in 90 days when this pause concludes.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • The saxophonist in his band also died, according to manager Enrique Paulino.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Iconoclastic critic, art historian, and photographer Max Kozloff, who served as Artforum’s executive editor in the 1970s before turning to his own artistic practice, died on April 6.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of die
Noun
  • As previously reported, the actor is set to reprise his role on the offshoot, and this bit of info from Harvey, tying Hardman to Ted’s Big Bad, certainly helps piece together the why and how, as does, possibly, the episode’s ending.
    — Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Drake was also accused of refusing to identify a person who rewrote the ending of the film, and who was not a guild member.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of ending
Noun
  • The standard residential plan has no firm data cap and no allotted data limit for full-speed service.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
  • There’s a 14-day maximum limit on stays, and a park entrance fee is required to enter Everglades National Park to access Flamingo Lodge and the restaurant.
    — Mariette Williams, Travel + Leisure, 16 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 key to success is finding the best glycolic acid formula for your skin’s needs and goals, which includes figuring out the right format and concentration of acid.
    — Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The seventh-place Lions are only below Chelsea on goal differential and have just a one-point deficit with Manchester City for the final Champions League spot.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 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 22 Apr. 2025.

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