Ends — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun plural noun phrase /ˈend/ (noun) /ˈbēm-ˈen(d)z/ (plural noun)

Meaning & Definition of Ends

Ends (verb)

  1. to bring to an end
  2. destroy
  3. to make up the end of
  4. to put (grain or hay) into a barn or stack

Ends (noun)

  1. the part of an area that lies at the boundary
  2. a point that marks the extent of something
  3. the point where something ceases to exist

Ends (plural noun)

  1. the ends of a ship's beams
  2. miscellaneous articles
  3. miscellaneous small matters (as of business) to be attended to
  4. miscellaneous remnants or leftovers

Ends (phrase)

  1. to use one's resources or energies to excess
  2. to make one's means adequate to one's needs
  3. inclined so much on one side that the beams approach a vertical position
  4. to set opposing interests against each other to one's own ultimate profit
  5. —used to say that a person can forget about how unpleasant or difficult something was because everything ended in a good way

Ends (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: closes, closes out, completes, concludes, finishes, rounds (off or out), terminates, winds up, wraps up, puts paid to (chiefly British), rings down the curtain (on)
    related: climaxes, crowns, consummates, perfects, halts, stops, suspends
    opposite: begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts

  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: breaks, breaks off, breaks up, cans (slang), ceases, cuts off, cuts out, desists (from), discontinues, drops, gives over, halts, knocks off, lays off, leaves off, packs (up or in), quits, shuts off, stops, has done with, puts the kibosh on
    related: completes, concludes, finishes, closes (down), deactivates, blockades, blocks, dams, delays, detains, hinders, holds, holds back, impedes, kiboshes, obstructs, stems, calls, suspends, arrests, brakes, checks, clamps down, reins (in), squashes, squelches, stamps, stanches, stunts, suppresses, turns back, pauses, stays, abolishes, aborts, annuls, demolishes, destroys, dissolves, kills, ruins, scuttles, snuffs
    near: carries on, continues, follows through (with), keeps up, runs on, advances, proceeds, progresses, actuates, drives, impels, propels, stirs

  3. to come to an end

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

    similar: breaks off, breaks up, ceases, closes, concludes, dead-ends, determines, dies, discontinues, elapses, expires, finishes, goes, halts, lapses, leaves off, lets up, passes, quits, stops, terminates, winds up, winks (out), bites the dust
    related: desists (from), lays off (of), refrains (from), gives over (British), knocks off, packs (up or in), breaks down, conks (out), cuts out, stalls, pauses, stays, suspends, abates, peters (out), winds down
    opposite: continues, hangs on, persists
    near: draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts

  4. to stop living

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

    similar: checks out, conks (out), croaks (slang), deceases, demises, departs, dies, drops, exits, expires, falls, flatlines, goes, kicks in (slang), kicks off (slang), parts, passes away, passes (on), pegs out (chiefly British), perishes, pops off, steps out, succumbs, bites the dust, buys it, gives up the ghost, kicks the bucket, snuffs it (British)
    related: predeceases, consumes, disappears, dries up, fades, fails
    opposite: breathes, lives
    near: comes to, revives, lingers, exists, is, subsists, flourishes, prospers, thrives

Ends (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the stopping of a process or activity

    "the end of hostilities brought general rejoicing"

    similar: arrestments, arrests, ceases, cessations, checks, closedowns, closes, closures, conclusions, cutoffs, discontinuances, discontinuations, endings, expirations, finishes, halts, lapses, offsets, shutdowns, shutoffs, stays, stoppages, stops, surceases, terminations
    related: mop-ups, phaseouts, abeyances, breaks, interruptions, layoffs, letups, moratoriums, pauses, standstills, suspensions
    opposite: continuances, continuations
    near: extensions, persistences, prolongations

  2. 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"

    similar: boundaries, bounds, caps, ceilings, confines, extents, limitations, limits, lines, terminations
    related: extremities, fag ends, termini, borders, brims, edges, margins, rims, verges, outsides, barriers, bars, fences, hedges, restraints, stops, walls

  3. 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"

    similar: fag ends, leftovers, oddments, remainders, remnants, scraps, stubs
    related: leavings, odds and ends, pickings, refuses, remains, residuals, residues, scrapings, stumps, vestiges, balances, rests, chips, flakes, fragments, pieces, slivers, splinters, ribbons, shreds, tatters
    near: wholes

  4. something that one hopes or intends to accomplish

    "in this case the ends definitely do not justify the means"

    similar: aims, ambitions, aspirations, bournes, designs, dreams, goals, ideals, ideas, intentions, intents, marks, meanings, objectives, objects, plans, points, pretensions, purposes, targets, things
    related: grails, holy grails, plots, projects, schemes, desires, hopes, minds, wishes, nirvanas, destinations, termini
    near: means, methods, ways

  5. the last and usually sharp or tapering part of something long and narrow

    "a child's pair of scissors with blunt ends"

    similar: apexes, cusps, nibs, noses, pike, points, tips
    related: pinpoints, prongs, tines, barbs, jags, prickles, snags, spikes, stickers

  6. the last part of a process or action

    "the war wasn't yet over, but we were definitely at the beginning of the end"

    similar: cappers, closes, closings, conclusions, consummations, endgames, endings, finales, finises, finishes, grand finales, homestretches, mop-ups, windups, wrap-ups
    related: acmes, apexes, capstones, climaxes, copestones, coups de grâce, crescendos, crowns, culminations, high-water marks, meridians, peaks, pinnacles, summits, tip-tops, tops, zeniths, aftermaths, anticlimaxes, codas, epilogues, postscripts, shanks, tag ends, tail ends
    opposite: baselines, beginnings, dawns, day ones, nascences, nascencies, openings, starts
    near: forewords, introductions, overtures, preambles, prefaces, preludes, prologues

  7. the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something

    "the ends of his shirt cuffs were badly frayed"

    similar: borderlines, borders, boundaries, bounds, brims, circumferences, compasses, confines, edges, edgings, frames, fringes, hems, margins, perimeters, peripheries, rims, skirtings, skirts, verges
    related: ambits, brinks, crests, curbs, cusps, lips, ceilings, maxima, demarcations, extents, limitations, measures, meres, restrictions, terminations, borderlands, frontiers, marches, outskirts, pales, selvages, laps, shores
    near: centers, cores, hearts, inners, insides, interiors, middles, withins

  8. 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"

    similar: curtains, deaths, deceases, demises, dissolutions, dooms, exits, expirations, expiries, fates, graves, great divides, passages, passings, quietuses, sleeps
    related: casualties, fatalities, martyrdoms, self-destructions, self-murders, self-slaughters, suicides, annihilations, destructions, endings, exterminations, ruins, assassinations, executions, killings, massacres, slaughters
    opposite: births, nativities
    near: existences, lives, creations, geneses, originations, rises

  9. something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group

    "keep up your end of the bargain"

    similar: allotments, allowances, cuts, parts, pieces, portions, proportions, quotas, shares, slices, takes, pieces of the action
    related: lots, rations, commissions, percentages, members, partitions, sections, segments
    near: aggregates, composites, compounds, pools, sums, totalities, totals, wholes

Related Entry: End (verb)

End is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for end, not for ends.

  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: End (noun)

End is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for end, not for ends.

  1. the stopping of a process or activity

    "the end of hostilities brought general rejoicing"

    similar: 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
    related: mop-up, phaseout, abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspension
    opposite: continuance, continuation
    near: extension, persistence, prolongation

  2. 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"

    similar: bound, boundary, cap, ceiling, confines, extent, limit, limitation, line, termination
    related: extremity, fag end, terminus, border, brim, edge, margin, rim, verge, outside, bar, barrier, fence, hedge, restraint, stop, wall

  3. 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"

    similar: fag end, leftover, oddment, remainder, remnant, scrap, stub
    related: leavings, odds and ends, pickings, refuse, remains, residual, residue, scraping(s), stump, vestige, balance, rest, chip, flake, fragment, piece, sliver, splinter, ribbon(s), shred, tatter
    near: whole

  4. something that one hopes or intends to accomplish

    "in this case the ends definitely do not justify the means"

    similar: aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne, design, dream, goal, idea, ideal, intent, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, target, thing, name of the game
    related: grail, holy grail, plot, project, scheme, desire, hope, mind, wish, nirvana, destination, terminus
    near: means, method, way

  5. the last and usually sharp or tapering part of something long and narrow

    "a child's pair of scissors with blunt ends"

    similar: apex, cusp, nib, nose, pike, point, tip
    related: pinpoint, prong, tine, barb, jag, prickle, snag, spike, sticker

  6. the last part of a process or action

    "the war wasn't yet over, but we were definitely at the beginning of the end"

    similar: capper, close, closing, conclusion, consummation, endgame, ending, 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

  7. the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something

    "the ends of his shirt cuffs were badly frayed"

    similar: border, borderline, bound, boundary, brim, circumference, compass, confines, edge, edging, frame, fringe, hem, margin, perimeter, periphery, rim, skirt, skirting, verge
    related: ambit, brink, crest, curb, cusp, lip, ceiling, maximum, demarcation, extent, limitation, measure, mere, restriction, termination, borderland, frontier, march, outskirts, pale, selvage, lap, shore
    near: center, core, heart, inner, inside, interior, middle, within

  8. 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"

    similar: curtains, death, decease, demise, dissolution, doom, exit, expiration, expiry, fate, grave, great divide, passage, passing, quietus, sleep
    related: casualty, fatality, martyrdom, self-destruction, self-murder, self-slaughter, suicide, annihilation, destruction, ending, extermination, ruin, assassination, execution, killing, massacre, slaughter
    opposite: birth, nativity
    near: existence, life, creation, genesis, origination, rise

  9. something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group

    "keep up your end of the bargain"

    similar: allotment, allowance, cut, part, piece, portion, proportion, quota, share, slice, take, piece of the action
    related: lot, ration, commission, percentage, member, partition, section, segment
    near: aggregate, composite, compound, pool, sum, total, totality, whole

Related Entry: Odds and ends (plural noun)

Odds and ends is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for odds and ends, not for ends.

  1. small useful items

    "she's always searching among the odds and ends in the drawer for some tool that she needs"

    similar: etceteras, notion, novelties, sundries
    related: baubles, bric-a-brac, gewgaws, knickknacks, trinkets, gadgets, gimmicks, jiggers, hodgepodge, miscellany, variety

  2. a remaining group or portion

    "almost all of the piece of leather will be needed for upholstering the chair, so just throw away any odds and ends"

    similar: balance, leavings, leftovers, remainder, remains, remnant, residue, residuum, rest
    related: fragment, scrap, vestige, butt, oddment, scraping(s), stub, stump, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus
    near: body, bulk, main, mass, most, weight

Related Entry: Make ends meet (phrase)

Make ends meet is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for make ends meet, not for ends.

  1. to meet one's day-to-day needs

    "The couple's income was just enough to make ends meet each month."

    similar: cope, do, fare, get along, get by, get on, make out, manage, shift, fend for oneself, make do, make shift
    related: carry on, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge, last, survive, eke out, scrape (out), squeeze, wrest, wring, afford, swing
    near: collapse, fail, fall short, fizzle, flounder, decline, peter (out), slump, wane, give up

Related Entry: Dead ends (noun)

Dead ends is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for dead ends, not for ends.

  1. as in closes, cul-de-sacs

    similar: closes (chiefly British), cul-de-sacs, arterials, arteries, avenues, boulevards, carriageways (British), drags, drives, expressways, freeways, high roads, highways, passes, pike, roads, roadways, routes, rows, thoroughfares, thruways, traces, turnpikes, ways, causeways, backstreets, branches, bystreets, byways, crossroads, secondary roads, shunpikes, side roads, side streets, alleys, alleyways, circles, lanes, laneways (British), mews (chiefly British), places, corridors, tracks, trails

  2. as in problems, Mexican standoffs

    similar: binds, bottlenecks, corners, dilemmas, fixes, holes, jams, morasses, pickles, pinches, plights, predicaments, quagmires, quandaries, spots, deadlocks, gridlocks, halts, impasses, logjams, Mexican standoffs, stalemates, standoffs, standstills, problems, difficulties

Related Entry: Tag ends (noun)

Tag ends is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for tag ends, not for ends.

  1. as in tail ends, shanks

    similar: shanks, tail ends, aftermaths, anticlimaxes, codas, epilogues, postscripts, acmes, apexes, capstones, climaxes, copestones, coups de grâce, crescendos, crowns, culminations, high-water marks, meridians, peaks, pinnacles, summits, tip-tops, tops, zeniths, cappers, closes, closings, conclusions, consummations, endgames, endings, ends, finales, finises, finishes, grand finales, homestretches, mop-ups, windups, wrap-ups
    opposite: baselines, beginnings, dawns, day ones, nascences, nascencies, openings, starts, forewords, introductions, overtures, preambles, prefaces, preludes, prologues

Related Entry: Made ends meet (phrase)

Made ends meet is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for made ends meet, not for ends.

  1. to meet one's day-to-day needs

    "The couple's income was just enough to make ends meet each month."

    similar: coped, did, fared, got along, got by, got on, made out, managed, shifted, fended for oneself, made do, made shift
    related: carried on, contrived, scraped (by or through), scrounged, lasted, survived, eked out, scraped (out), squeezed, wrested, wrung, afforded, swung
    near: collapsed, failed, fell short, fizzled, floundered, declined, petered (out), slumped, waned, gave up

Related Entry: Fag ends (noun)

Fag ends is a different word from Ends. The synonyms below are for fag ends, not for ends.

  1. an unused or unwanted piece or item typically of small size or value

    "a patchwork quilt sewn together from the fag ends of many bolts of cloth"

    similar: ends, leftovers, oddments, remainders, remnants, scraps, stubs
    related: leavings, odds and ends, pickings, refuses, remains, residuals, residues, scrapings, stumps, vestiges, balances, rests, chips, flakes, fragments, pieces, slivers, splinters, ribbons, shreds, tatters
    near: wholes

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ends

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ends:

Slang: cans, croaks, kicks in, kicks off
Chiefly British: puts paid to, pegs out
British: snuffs it
closes, closes out, completes, concludes, finishes, rounds (off or out), terminates, winds up, wraps up, breaks, breaks off, breaks up, ceases, cuts off, cuts out, desists (from), discontinues, drops, gives over, halts, knocks off, lays off, leaves off, packs (up or in), quits, shuts off, stops, dead-ends, determines, dies, elapses, expires, goes, lapses, lets up, passes, winks (out), checks out, conks (out), deceases

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ends

Words with the opposite meaning of Ends:

begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts, continues, hangs on, persists, breathes, lives, continuances, continuations, baselines, beginnings, dawns, day ones, nascences, nascencies, openings, births, nativities

Related Words for Ends

climaxes, crowns, consummates, perfects, suspends, closes (down), deactivates, blockades, blocks, dams, delays, detains, hinders, holds, holds back, impedes, kiboshes, obstructs, stems, calls, brakes, clamps down, reins (in), squashes, squelches, stamps, stanches, stunts, suppresses, turns back

Near Antonyms of Ends

carries on, follows through (with), keeps up, runs on, advances, proceeds, progresses, actuates, drives, impels, propels, stirs, draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts, comes to, revives, lingers, exists, is, subsists, flourishes, prospers, thrives, extensions, persistences, prolongations, wholes, means

Word Forms of Ends

Inflections: ended, ending

Derived words: ended (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Ends

probably alteration of English dialect in to harvest

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Words & Phrases Containing Ends

beam-ends, burn the candle at both ends, make ends meet, odds and ends, on her beam-ends, play both ends against the middle, all's well that ends well

Frequently Asked Questions about Ends

What does "Ends" mean?

"Ends" means to bring to an end. As an a verb, a noun, a plural noun and a phrase, it is defined as: to bring to an end. It has 13 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ends"?

Other words for "Ends" include closes, closes out, completes, concludes, finishes, rounds (off or out), terminates and winds up. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ends" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ends"?

There are 353 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ends". Common alternatives include closes, closes out, completes, concludes, finishes, rounds (off or out), terminates, winds up, wraps up and breaks.

What is a slang word for "Ends"?

Slang words for "Ends" include cans, croaks, kicks in and kicks off.

What is the opposite of "Ends"?

Antonyms of "Ends" include begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts, continues, hangs on and persists. Near antonyms include carries on, follows through (with), keeps up and runs on.

How do you use "Ends" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ends" in a sentence: "let's end the meeting with a short prayer"; "unfortunately, an argument ended their date, and they're still not speaking to each other"; "a book so good that you hate to see it end".

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

"Ends" can be used as a verb, a noun, a plural noun and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Ends"?

"Ends" is pronounced /ˈend/ as a noun and /ˈbēm-ˈen(d)z/ as a plural noun.