end
end
Pronunciation
/ɛnd/
Syllable Sounds:
ɛ: as in the "e" in "bed"
n: as in the "n" in "name"
d: as in the "d" in "day"
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: end
Plural: ends
Verb:
Base form: end
Third-person singular present: ends
Present participle: ending
Past tense: ended
Past participle: ended
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
The final point or part of something; a conclusion or termination.
Definition: The point at which something ceases to exist, operate, or continue. This can refer to a physical boundary, a temporal conclusion, or the stopping of a process.
Synonyms: conclusion, close, finish, cessation, termination, completion, finale, culmination, closeout, discontinuance.
Antonyms: beginning, start, inception, outset, origin, commencement, birth, opening.
A purpose or aim; the desired result of an action or effort.
Definition: The objective or goal towards which an action or series of actions is directed. Often implies a planned outcome.
Synonyms: purpose, goal, aim, objective, intention, design, object, target, ambition, aspiration.
Antonyms: means (when contrasted with "end"), cause, source, origin.
An extremity or tip of an object.
Definition: The furthest or outermost point of a physical object, especially one that is long and narrow.
Synonyms: tip, point, extremity, limit, edge, border, tail, head (of a bed, etc.).
Antonyms: middle, center, core.
Verb
To bring or come to a conclusion; to stop or finish.
Definition: To cause something to stop, or for something to reach its final point and cease.
Synonyms: stop, finish, conclude, terminate, cease, complete, halt, resolve, close, wrap up, discontinue, expire.
Antonyms: begin, start, initiate, commence, originate, launch, continue, prolong, extend.
To be the last part of something; to have a particular result.
Definition: To form the conclusion of something, or to lead to a specific outcome or final state.
Synonyms: culminate, result in, lead to, wind up, turn out, eventuate.
Antonyms: originate from, begin with.
Examples of Use
In Books:
As a noun (conclusion/termination): "At the end of the final installment [of the Harry Potter series], there's an epilogue – set 19 years after the events in the rest of the book – where readers get to see the fates of the characters as adults." (Boords, May 2024)
As a noun (purpose/aim): "The protagonist returns to his previous profession despite all that's changed about his circumstances, or retires to his hometown he hasn't been able to return to for decades, or is faced with a similar small-scale dilemma as he was in the opening of the book and the way he handles it now. While not a hard rule, generally it's nice when the end of a character's story makes me remember the beginning of their story." (Reddit, May 2024)
As a verb (to bring to a conclusion): "The conclusion of the Harry Potter series is a great example, and almost a perfect antidote to a trilogy like Lauren Oliver's Delirium. At the end of the final book, Rowling ties up loose ends with almost pathological completeness – resolving the central conflict with an epic battle, and then providing a rich view into the future lives of the main characters far into their future." (Hidden Gems Book Blog, August 2024)
In Newspapers:
As a noun (conclusion/termination): "This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025." (Oak National Academy)
As a noun (extremity/tip): (Though less common for "end" alone in a literal newspaper headline, it might appear in a phrase like) "The crisis is far from its end." (Fictional, but common phrasing in news reports about ongoing events.)
As a verb (to stop/finish): "The debate is set to end on a contentious note." (Fictional, representative of news headlines regarding debates or processes.)
In Online Publications:
As a noun (conclusion/termination): "For every end-text reference, you will need to provide the author, date, title, and source of the work." (Edith Cowan University LibGuides, March 2025)
As a verb (to stop/finish): "The company hopes to end its financial struggles by year-end." (Fictional, common in business or economic news.)
As a noun (purpose/aim): "In the end, the goal of the new policy is to streamline operations and improve customer satisfaction." (Fictional, but typical of online articles on policy or strategy.)
In Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
As a noun (conclusion/termination): "At the end of the film, the hero makes a surprising discovery." (Common in movie reviews or plot summaries.)
As a noun (purpose/aim): "The whole end of this game is to collect all the rare items before your opponents." (Describing a video game objective.)
As a verb (to bring to a conclusion): "The band decided to end their tour with a massive concert in their hometown." (Music news or concert announcements.)
As a noun (general concept of fun ending): "Possession of the matter is the end of the entertainment/fun. It means that as soon as you have bought your brand new car, it very soon loses its attraction and you don't see the value anymore." (English Stack Exchange, June 2017)
In General Public Discourse:
As a noun (conclusion/termination): "We're nearing the end of the project, so everyone needs to push a little harder." (Everyday conversation in a work or academic setting.)
As a noun (purpose/aim): "To what end are all these efforts directed if not to a better future for our children?" (Rhetorical question in a public speech or debate.)
As a verb (to stop/finish): "Let's try to end this discussion on a positive note." (Used in meetings or casual conversations.)
As a noun (extremity): "Could you please pass me the remote from the other end of the couch?" (Casual request.)
10 Quotes Using End
"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." (Winston Churchill)
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
"If we don't end war, war will end us." (H.G. Wells)
"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." (T. S. Eliot)
"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." (James Baldwin)
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." (Lao Tzu)
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." (Ursula K. Le Guin)
"At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent." (Barbara 1Bush)
"Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end." (Immanuel Kant)
Etymology
The word "end" is quite old in the English language, tracing its roots back to the Old English period, which was before the year 1150.
It comes from the Old English word "ende" (pronounced something like "EN-deh"). This Old English word itself came from an even older source: Proto-Germanic *andijaz, meaning something like "the opposite side" or "the furthest point." This tells us that the core idea of "end" has always been about a boundary, a limit, or the very edge of something.
So, the first known meaning of "end" was essentially about the extremity or outermost part of something in space or time. Think of "the end of the road" or "the end of the day." It could refer to a physical boundary, like the edge of a forest, or a temporal one, like the conclusion of an event.
Over time, the word also developed meanings related to:
Cessation or termination: The stopping of something.
Purpose or aim: The goal you are working towards.
Death: The ultimate end of life.
These different meanings all stem from that original idea of a "limit" or "boundary."
Phrases + Idioms Containing End
At the end of the day: Ultimately; when all is considered.
A means to an end: Something done to achieve a specific goal, not for its own sake.
The end justifies the means: A morally questionable action is acceptable if it leads to a good outcome.
The beginning of the end: The start of a process that will lead to the downfall or conclusion of something.
Come to an end: To finish or conclude.
Put an end to something: To stop something from happening or continuing.
No end in sight: There is no apparent conclusion or finish.
Light at the end of the tunnel: A sign that a difficult or unpleasant situation is coming to an end.
At one's wit's end: Completely frustrated and unable to find a solution.
Make ends meet: To earn just enough money to live.
The end of the road/line: The point at which one can no longer continue.
To the bitter end: Until the very end, despite difficulties.
Dead end: A street with no exit; a situation with no progress.
Tie up loose ends: To complete all remaining small tasks or unresolved issues.
End up: To eventually arrive at a particular place or state.
Odds and ends: Miscellaneous items or leftover pieces.
On end: Continuously, without stopping (e.g., "for hours on end").
Not the end of the world: Not the worst possible thing that could happen; not as bad as it seems.
Have your hair stand on end: To be extremely frightened.
Keep your end of the bargain: To fulfill one's promise or part of an agreement.
The sharp end: The difficult or unpleasant part of a situation.
End of story: Used to emphasize that something is final and not open for discussion.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of end from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
