Ending — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈen-diŋ/ end·ing

Meaning & Definition of Ending

Ending (noun)

  1. something that constitutes an end
  2. conclusion
  3. one or more letters or syllables added to a word base especially in inflection

Ending (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in passing, closing

    similar: ceasing, closing, concluding, desisting, discontinuing, dying, expiring, finishing, lapsing, leaving off, passing, quitting, stopping, terminating, winding up, abating, dying (down), ebbing, letting up, moderating, subsiding, waning
    opposite: leftover, remaining, lingering, residual, abiding, biding, continuing, enduring, holding on, holding up, keeping up, lasting, perduring, persisting, running on

Ending (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the last part of a process or action

    "the plagiarism scandal was a disgraceful ending to a once-promising academic career"

    similar: capper, close, closing, conclusion, consummation, end, endgame, finale, finis, finish, grand finale, homestretch, mop-up, windup, wrap-up
    related: acme, apex, capstone, climax, copestone, coup de grâce, crescendo, crown, culmination, high-water mark, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, tip-top, top, zenith, aftermath, anticlimax, coda, epilogue, postscript, shank, tag end, tail end
    opposite: baseline, beginning, dawn, day one, nascence, nascency, opening, start
    near: foreword, introduction, overture, preamble, preface, prelude, prologue

  2. the stopping of a process or activity

    "the best part about any dental procedure is its ending"

    similar: arrest, arrestment, cease, cessation, check, close, closedown, closure, conclusion, cutoff, discontinuance, discontinuation, end, expiration, finish, halt, lapse, offset, shutdown, shutoff, stay, stop, stoppage, surcease, termination
    related: mop-up, phaseout, abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspension
    opposite: continuance, continuation
    near: extension, persistence, prolongation

Ending (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

    "let's end the meeting with a short prayer"

    similar: closing, closing out, completing, concluding, finishing, rounding (off or out), terminating, winding up, wrapping up, putting paid to (chiefly British), ringing down the curtain (on)
    related: climaxing, crowning, consummating, perfecting, halting, stopping, suspending
    opposite: beginning, commencing, inaugurating, opening, starting

  2. 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"

    similar: breaking, breaking off, breaking up, canning (slang), ceasing, cutting off, cutting out, desisting (from), discontinuing, dropping, giving over, halting, knocking off, laying off, leaving off, packing (up or in), quitting, shutting off, stopping, having done with, putting the kibosh on
    related: completing, concluding, finishing, closing (down), deactivating, blockading, blocking, damming, delaying, detaining, hindering, holding, holding back, impeding, kiboshing, obstructing, stemming, calling, suspending, arresting, braking, checking, clamping down, reining (in), squashing, squelching, stamping, stanching, stunting, suppressing, turning back, pausing, staying, abolishing, aborting, annulling, demolishing, destroying, dissolving, killing, ruining, scuttling, snuffing
    near: carrying on, continuing, following through (with), keeping up, running on, advancing, proceeding, progressing, actuating, driving, impelling, propelling, stirring

  3. to come to an end

    "a book so good that you hate to see it end"

    similar: breaking off, breaking up, ceasing, closing, concluding, dead-ending, determining, discontinuing, dying, elapsing, expiring, finishing, going, halting, lapsing, leaving off, letting up, passing, quitting, stopping, terminating, winding up, winking (out), biting the dust
    related: desisting (from), laying off (of), refraining (from), giving over (British), knocking off, packing (up or in), breaking down, conking (out), cutting out, stalling, pausing, staying, suspending, abating, petering (out), winding down
    opposite: continuing, hanging on, persisting
    near: drawing out, extending, prolonging, protracting

  4. to stop living

    "a great general, who ended on the field of battle"

    similar: checking out, conking (out), croaking (slang), deceasing, demising, departing, dropping, dying, exiting, expiring, falling, flatlining, going, kicking in (slang), kicking off (slang), parting, passing away, passing (on), pegging out (chiefly British), perishing, popping off, stepping out, succumbing, biting the dust, buying it, giving up the ghost, kicking the bucket, snuffing it (British)
    related: predeceasing, consuming, disappearing, drying up, fading, failing
    opposite: breathing, living
    near: coming to, reviving, lingering, being, existing, subsisting, flourishing, prospering, thriving

Related Entry: End (verb)

End is a different word from Ending. The synonyms below are for end, not for ending.

  1. to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

    "let's end the meeting with a short prayer"

    similar: close, close out, complete, conclude, finish, round (off or out), terminate, wind up, wrap up, put paid to (chiefly British), ring down the curtain (on)
    related: climax, crown, consummate, perfect, halt, stop, suspend
    opposite: begin, commence, inaugurate, open, start

  2. 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"

    similar: break, break off, break up, can (slang), cease, cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, give over, halt, knock off, lay off, leave off, pack (up or in), quit, shut off, stop, have done with, put the kibosh on
    related: complete, conclude, finish, close (down), deactivate, block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem, call, suspend, arrest, brake, check, clamp down, rein (in), squash, squelch, stamp, stanch, stunt, suppress, turn back, pause, stay, abolish, abort, annul, demolish, destroy, dissolve, kill, ruin, scuttle, snuff
    near: carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep up, run on, advance, proceed, progress, actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir

  3. to come to an end

    "a book so good that you hate to see it end"

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out), bite the dust
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

  4. to stop living

    "a great general, who ended on the field of battle"

    similar: check out, conk (out), croak (slang), decease, demise, depart, die, drop, exit, expire, fall, flatline, go, kick in (slang), kick off (slang), part, pass (on), pass away, peg out (chiefly British), perish, pop off, step out, succumb, bite the dust, buy it, give up the ghost, kick the bucket, snuff it (British)
    related: predecease, consume, disappear, dry up, fade, fail
    opposite: breathe, live
    near: come to, revive, linger, be, exist, subsist, flourish, prosper, thrive

Related Entry: Dead-ending (verb)

Dead-ending is a different word from Ending. The synonyms below are for dead-ending, not for ending.

  1. to come to an end

    "after several fruitless years, the research seems to have simply dead-ended"

    similar: breaking off, breaking up, ceasing, closing, concluding, determining, discontinuing, dying, elapsing, ending, expiring, finishing, going, halting, lapsing, leaving off, letting up, passing, quitting, stopping, terminating, winding up, winking (out), biting the dust
    related: desisting (from), laying off (of), refraining (from), giving over (British), knocking off, packing (up or in), breaking down, conking (out), cutting out, stalling, pausing, staying, suspending, abating, petering (out), winding down
    opposite: continuing, hanging on, persisting
    near: drawing out, extending, prolonging, protracting

Related Entry: Dead-end (verb)

Dead-end is a different word from Ending. The synonyms below are for dead-end, not for ending.

  1. to come to an end

    "after several fruitless years, the research seems to have simply dead-ended"

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out), bite the dust
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ending

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ending:

Slang: canning, croaking, kicking in, kicking off
Chiefly British: putting paid to, pegging out
British: snuffing it
ceasing, closing, concluding, desisting, discontinuing, dying, expiring, finishing, lapsing, leaving off, passing, quitting, stopping, terminating, winding up, abating, dying (down), ebbing, letting up, moderating, subsiding, waning, capper, close, conclusion, consummation, end, endgame, finale, finis, finish, grand finale, homestretch, mop-up, windup, wrap-up, arrest, arrestment, cease, cessation

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ending

Words with the opposite meaning of Ending:

leftover, remaining, lingering, residual, abiding, biding, continuing, enduring, holding on, holding up, keeping up, lasting, perduring, persisting, running on, baseline, beginning, dawn, day one, nascence, nascency, opening, start, continuance, continuation, commencing, inaugurating, starting, hanging on, breathing

Related Words for Ending

acme, apex, capstone, climax, copestone, coup de grâce, crescendo, crown, culmination, high-water mark, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, tip-top, top, zenith, aftermath, anticlimax, coda, epilogue, postscript, shank, tag end, tail end, phaseout, abeyance, break, interruption, layoff

Near Antonyms of Ending

foreword, introduction, overture, preamble, preface, prelude, prologue, extension, persistence, prolongation, carrying on, following through (with), advancing, proceeding, progressing, actuating, driving, impelling, propelling, stirring, drawing out, extending, prolonging, protracting, coming to, reviving, being, existing, subsisting, flourishing

Origin & Etymology of Ending

First known use: 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Ending

Words & Phrases Containing Ending

nerve ending, never-ending

Frequently Asked Questions about Ending

What does "Ending" mean?

"Ending" means something that constitutes an end. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: something that constitutes an end. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ending"?

Other words for "Ending" include ceasing, closing, concluding, desisting, discontinuing, dying, expiring and finishing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ending" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ending"?

There are 199 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ending". Common alternatives include ceasing, closing, concluding, desisting, discontinuing, dying, expiring, finishing, lapsing and leaving off.

What is a slang word for "Ending"?

Slang words for "Ending" include canning, croaking, kicking in and kicking off.

What is the opposite of "Ending"?

Antonyms of "Ending" include leftover, remaining, lingering, residual, abiding, biding, continuing and enduring. Near antonyms include foreword, introduction, overture and preamble.

How do you use "Ending" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ending" in a sentence: "the plagiarism scandal was a disgraceful ending to a once-promising academic career"; "the best part about any dental procedure is its ending"; "let's end the meeting with a short prayer".

Is "Ending" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ending" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Ending" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Ending" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.