end

1 of 5

noun

ˈend 

1

a

: the part of an area that lies at the boundary

b(1)

: a point that marks the extent of something

(2)

: the point where something ceases to exist

world without end

c

: the extreme or last part lengthwise : tip

d

: the terminal unit of something spatial that is marked off by units

e

: a player stationed at the extremity of a line or team (as in football)

2

a

: cessation of a course of action, pursuit, or activity

b

: death, destruction

c(1)

: the ultimate state

(2)

: result, issue

3

: something incomplete, fragmentary, or undersized : remnant

4

a

: an outcome worked toward : purpose

the end of poetry is to be poetry

—R. P. Warren

b

: the object by virtue of or for the sake of which an event takes place

5

a

: a share in an undertaking

kept your end up

b

: a particular operation or aspect of an undertaking or organization

the sales end of the business

6

: something that is extreme : ultimate

—used with the

7

: a period of action or turn in any of various sports events (such as archery or lawn bowling)

ended

ˈen-dəd 

adjective

end

2 of 5

verb (1)

ended; ending; ends

transitive verb

1

a

: to bring to an end

b

: destroy

2

: to make up the end of

a wedding scene ends the film

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come to an end

the meeting will end at noon

b

: to reach a specified ultimate rank, situation, or place

—usually used with up

ended up as a colonel

2

: die

end

3 of 5

adjective

: final, ultimate

end results

end markets

end

4 of 5

verb (2)

ended; ending; ends

transitive verb

dialectal, England

: to put (grain or hay) into a barn or stack

end-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or endo-

1

: within : inside

endoskeleton

compare ect-, exo-

2

: taking in

endothermic

Phrases

in the end

: after all, ultimately

will surely succeed in the end

no end

: exceedingly

it pleases us no end

on end

: without a stop or letup

it rained for days on end

Synonyms

Noun

• arrest
• arrestment
• cease
• cessation
• check
• close
• closedown
• closure
• conclusion
• cutoff
• discontinuance
• discontinuation
• ending
• expiration
• finish
• halt
• lapse
• offset
• shutdown
• shutoff
• stay
• stop
• stoppage
• surcease
• termination

Verb (1)

• close
• close out
• complete
• conclude
• finish
• round (off or out)
• terminate
• wind up
• wrap up

Choose the Right Synonym for end

Noun

intention, intent, purpose, design, aim, end, object, objective, goal mean what one intends to accomplish or attain.

intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about.

announced his intention to marry

intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness.

the clear intent of the statute

purpose suggests a more settled determination.

being successful was her purpose in life

design implies a more carefully calculated plan.

the order of events came by accident, not design

aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing.

her aim was to raise film to an art form

end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such.

willing to use any means to achieve his end

object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need.

his constant object was the achievement of pleasure

objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable.

their objective is to seize the oil fields

goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship.

worked years to reach her goals

Verb (1)

close, end, conclude, finish, complete, terminate mean to bring or come to a stopping point or limit.

close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

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

terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

Examples of end in a Sentence

Noun

The report is due at the end of the month.

She interviewed several players at the end of the game.

The restaurant is in the north end of the city.

We biked from one end of the island to the other.

The house is at the end of the road.

They live at opposite ends of town.

the deep end of a swimming pool

She drove the end of the stake into the ground.

The car's front end was damaged.

One end of the rope was tangled.

Adjective

the end product of a process

the end point of the operation

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Trump stands to receive another 36 million shares of the company as long as shares stay above $17.50 through the end of trading Tuesday. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024

But for some struggling to make ends meet, setting the table for Seder — the dinner celebrated during the first two nights of the Jewish holiday — can be a challenge. —Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ende, from Old English; akin to Old High German enti end, Latin ante before, Greek anti against

Verb (2)

probably alteration of English dialect in to harvest

Combining form

French, from Greek, from endon within; akin to Greek en in, Old Latin indu, Hittite andan within — more at in

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1607, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing end

• a light at the end of the tunnel
• a means to an end
• an end in itself
• at a loose end
• at an end
• at one's wit's end
• at the end of one's patience
• at the end of the day
• back end
• be-all and end-all
• bitter end
• bring an end to (something)
• bring (something) to an end
• business end
• closed-end
• come to a bad end
• come to an end
• days on end
• dead end
• end around
• end brush
• end effector
• end in (something)
• end in tears
• end it all
• end line
• end man
• end of story
• end one's life
• end organ
• end plate
• end point
• end run
• end-stage
• end-stopped
• end table
• end-time
• end to end
• end up
• end user
• end with
• end zone
• front end
• front-end load
• front-end loader
• go off the deep end
• high-end
• in the end
• jump in (at) the deep end
• keep up one's end
• loose end
• low-end
• make one's hair stand on end
• never/not hear the end of it
• no end
• no end in sight
• not the end of the world
• on/at the receiving end
• on end
• open-end
• put an end to (something)
• reached the end of my patience
• rear end
• receiving end
• split end
• tag end
• tail end
• the be-all and end-all
• the beginning of the end
• the business end
• the deep end
• the end justifies the means
• the end of one's rope
• the end of one's tether
• the end of the line
• the end of the road
• the short end of the stick
• the tail end
• the thin end of the wedge
• the wrong end of the stick
• throw in (at) the deep end
• tight end
• to end all
• top-end
• to that/this end
• to/till/until the end of time
• to/until the bitter end
• year-end

Kids Definition

end

1 of 3 noun

ˈend 

1

a

: the part at the boundary of an area

b

: a point that marks the limit of something or the point where something no longer exists

no end to her generosity

the end of the month

c

: the last part lengthwise : tip

2

a

: the stopping of a process or activity

b

: death sense 1, destruction

3

: something left over : remnant

4

: goal sense 2, purpose

5

: a football lineman whose position is at the end of the line

6

: a phase of an undertaking

the sales end of the business

ended

ˈen-dəd 

adjective

end

2 of 3 verb

: to bring or come to an end : stop

end-

3 of 3 combining form

variants or endo-

1

: within : inside

endoskeleton

compare exo-

2

: taking in

endothermic

Etymology

Combining form

derived from Greek end-, endo- "inside, within"