ending

ending — noun

1. the way a written or visual story finishes, including how the characters' proble

1.nounA2
Definition

the way a written or visual story finishes, including how the characters' problems are resolved and what finally happens.

Example

The novel's surprise ending made Jabari want to read it again immediately.

surprise ending — unexpected final twist

Nila guessed the film's ending correctly before the final scene started.

Common collocations
  • happy ending
  • sad ending
  • surprise ending
  • unexpected ending
  • story ending
  • film ending
  • open ending
  • alternative ending
Synonyms
  • conclusion

    more formal; suggests a thoughtful or logical resolution

  • finale

    usually for performances (concerts, theatre); implies a grand or dramatic finish

  • close

    slightly more literary; 'the close of the novel'

Antonyms
  • beginning

    the first part of a story or film

  • opening

    often used for the first scene or chapter

Grammar Patterns

a/an + adjective + ending

the + noun + ending

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 3: sense 1 refers to the crafted final part of a created work (a story, film, or play), while sense 3 refers to the process or event of bringing something to a close (a war, a partnership, a holiday).

Common Mistakes

I fell asleep before the ending of the film.
I fell asleep before the end of the film.
Use 'end' for the temporal point when something finishes; use 'ending' for the content and structure of the final part.

2. letters attached at the tail of a base word to show its grammatical function, su

2.nounB1
Definition

letters attached at the tail of a base word to show its grammatical function, such as marking a noun as plural or a verb as past tense.

Example

Adding the plural ending '-s' to 'cat' gives you 'cats'.

plural ending -s shows more than one

Christopher learned that '-ed' is a common past tense verb ending in English.

past tense ending -ed

Common collocations
  • verb ending
  • noun ending
  • plural ending
  • possessive ending
  • past tense ending
  • word ending
  • grammatical ending
  • case ending
Synonyms
  • suffix

    broader term — includes both inflectional and derivational

  • inflection

    more technical; refers to the system of endings in a language

Antonyms
  • prefix

    a letter group added to the beginning of a word

  • root

    the main part of a word before endings are added

Grammar Patterns

[word/verb/noun] + ending

ending + [letter/syllable]

Usage Note

Only sense that describes parts of words rather than narrative or event conclusions. An ending in grammar is a letter or group of letters; it is not a full word by itself.

Common Mistakes

The -ly in quickly is a word ending.
The -ly in quickly is a suffix.
'Ending' in grammar usually means inflectional endings that show tense, number, or case; derivational suffixes like -ly, -ful, -ness are not called endings.

3. the process or event of bringing something to a close or reaching its final stag

3.nounB1
Definition

the process or event of bringing something to a close or reaching its final stage, especially a period, arrangement, or activity.

Example

The ending of the war brought relief to people across the country.

ending of [event] — concluding a major event

Selim was unhappy about the early ending of his holiday in France.

early ending of [period]

Common collocations
  • early ending
  • sudden ending
  • official ending
  • premature ending
  • ending of the war
  • ending of a contract
  • ending of a relationship
Synonyms
  • conclusion

    more formal; often used for events, talks, or processes

  • termination

    very formal; common in legal or contractual contexts

  • close

    slightly formal; 'the close of business', 'the close of the day'

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + ending + of + [noun]

adjective + ending + of

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 focuses on the process or event of ending something (a war, a contract, a holiday), while sense 1 refers to the final part of a created narrative work. For a specific finish time, use 'end' rather than 'ending'.

Common Mistakes

The ending of the meeting was at 3 PM.
The end of the meeting was at 3 PM.' or 'The meeting ended at 3 PM.
For a specific finish time, use 'end' (noun) or 'end' (verb), not 'ending'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to the final part of something. 'Ending' is the most general and natural word for stories, films, and plays: you talk about a happy ending or a surprise ending without sounding too formal. 'Conclusion' is more formal and often suggests a logical or thoughtful resolution — a scientific report has a conclusion, not an ending. 'Finale' is reserved for performances such as concerts, operas, or theatre shows; it implies a dramatic or grand finish with emotional impact. 'Close' has a slightly literary or poetic tone: 'the close of the novel' or 'toward the close of day'. In everyday conversation, ending is the safest choice. For example: 'I loved the film's ending' sounds natural, while 'I loved the film's finale' might sound odd unless it is a musical or stage performance.

ending ↗conclusion ↗finaleclose ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • bring to an ending
  • come to an ending
  • mark the ending

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Ending comes from Old English 'endung', which meant 'a coming to an end, termination, death'. It was formed from the verb 'endian' (to end) plus the suffix '-ung' (which later became '-ing' in modern English, showing an action or its result). The grammatical sense — referring to a letter or syllable added to a word — developed in the 1500s as language scholars began analysing word structure in detail.