ending

[ en-ding ]

noun

1. a bringing or coming to an end; termination; close:

   Putting away the Christmas ornaments marked the ending of the season.

2. the final or concluding part; conclusion:

   a story with a happy ending.

3. death; destruction.
4. Grammar. a morpheme, especially an inflection, at the end of a word, as -s in cuts.
5. (not in technical use) any final word part, as the -ow of widow.

ending

/ ˈɛndɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of bringing to or reaching an end
2. the last part of something, as a book, film, etc
3. the final part of a word, esp a suffix
4. See endgame
   chess another word for endgame

Other Words From

• un·ending adjective
• un·ending·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ending¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English endyng, Old English endung; equivalent to end ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

It was a flat ending to a nine-play, 70-yard drive, during which Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady hit wide receiver Mike Evans for 31 yards.

From Washington Post

The extended cut was originally released after BioWare faced backlash for the controversy surrounding the game’s endings, which players felt did not reflect their in-game choices up until that point.

From Washington Post

As I sat for hour after hour, trying to put words to these experiences, I struggled with the fact that there was no ending.

From ProPublica

While there is much to enjoy in “The Rib King,” the ending goes off the rails a bit, with too many minor characters and plot points introduced too swiftly.

From Washington Post

The ending was particularly painful, but the ride was electric.

From Washington Post

For many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.

From The Daily Beast

And more than that—the world is ending because of the changes that many of us see as positive.

From The Daily Beast

The blast was so strong,” he said, “we thought the world was ending.

From The Daily Beast

Why is the ‘Kroll Show’ ending its hilarious run after only three seasons?

From The Daily Beast

Later, as I was writing the book, I discovered the power of another reason for ending my book, basically, in 1978.

From The Daily Beast

My station was on the right of the line, where the breastwork, ending in a redoubt, was steep and high.

From Project Gutenberg

Certainly there are no five miles equal in rugged grandeur to those beginning just below and ending above West Point.

From Project Gutenberg

In the operations ending in Ulm the second corps formed part of the left wing.

From Project Gutenberg

From an active state of resistance the ego traversed a descending curve ending in absolute passivity.

From Project Gutenberg

This is the proper ending to every demand for an encore in “Le Grillon,” and it never fails to bring one.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• closure
• completion
• denouement
• finale
• outcome
• period
• resolution

More About Ending

What is an ending?

An ending is a conclusion, as in I like stories with a happy ending.

An ending is also a time when something is finishing or nearing completion, as in I’m ending my school career with all As. 

An ending is the opposite of a beginning and is used to mean the conclusion of something. Movies have endings. So do civilizations, like the Roman Empire. We even sometimes refer to a person’s death as an ending. Endings and the reasons or events surrounding them are often intensely studied or debated.

Example: I liked the book until the terrible ending where the villain won in the last chapter.

Where does ending come from?

The first records of the term ending come from before the year 1000. It ultimately comes from the Old English endung. Ending combines the verb end, meaning “to finalize or complete,” and the suffix -ing, which turns a verb into a noun that expresses action. An ending is the point at which something is performing a last action or when something is reaching its finish.

Ending is the final moments or period of time when something is finishing. For example, the last inning of a baseball game is the game’s ending. An ending can be long or short. It is sometimes unclear when an ending begins, such as with empires or kingdoms that last hundreds or thousands of years.

Ending is sometimes used to mean “end,” but the two words mean slightly different things. Typically, an end is the exact point at which something is over, while an ending can be a longer period of time during which something is concluding.

For example, when someone says “the end of a book” they usually mean the final chapter or final paragraph. However, the ending of a book could mean several chapters, depending on how long the conclusion takes.

This is the reason that we say “the end of the road” when we mean the point where the road stops.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to ending?

• unending (adjective)
• unendingly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for ending?

• conclusion
• completion
• finish
• outcome
• resolution

What are some words that share a root or word element with ending? 

 

• end
• endpoint
• never-ending

What are some words that often get used in discussing ending?

• beginning
• book
• chapter
• movie
• death

What are some words ending may be commonly confused with?

• end

How is ending used in real life?

Ending is an extremely common word that refers to the time that something is concluding or finishing.

How 2020 started How it's ending pic.twitter.com/htAn99lmua

— byweff 🎄HAPPY YULETIDE🎄 (@byletri) December 22, 2020

that 800 years is pretty important. i'd say the time of the ending of the roman empire is a pretty damn important part of history

— 🌙 VVitch of FANGmar 🌙 (@gwrthryfel) August 15, 2013

1.445 million vinyl albums were sold in the US in the week ending December 17, marking the biggest vinyl sales week in Soundscan history. #1 seller was @taylorswift13’s ‘folklore'.

— chart data (@chartdata) December 22, 2020

 

 

Try using ending!

Which of the following is most likely to contain the ending of a novel?

A. the first chapter
B. the middle chapters
C. the last chapter