phrasal verb
end up
end UP
End up (phrasal verb) means to reach a particular situation, place or state in the end, especially one that was not planned. Example: “We set out for Bath and ended up in Bristol.”
phrasal verb
1
To reach a particular situation, place or state in the end, especially one that was not planned.
"We set out for Bath and ended up in Bristol."
"If you keep skipping payments you will end up in court."
2
Followed by an -ing verb: to do something eventually, after other things happened first.
"I ended up paying for the whole meal."
"They ended up moving back in with his parents."
How to use end up
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo finally be somewhere or in some situation, usually without meaning to.
When to use it
Neutral to informal; very common in speech.
Memory tip
Keep the two words together: 'ended up in London', not 'ended in London up'.
Common pairings
end up doing
end up in hospital
end up together
end up broke
end up like
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If you keep skipping payments you will _____ in court.
Synonyms
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wind up
finish up
land up
turn out
wind up doing
finish by doing
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 'end up' and 'wind up'?
They mean the same thing in this sense and are interchangeable, though 'wind up' is more informal and slightly more common in American English. Note that 'wind up' has other meanings, such as closing a company or teasing someone, which 'end up' does not.
Is it 'end up doing' or 'end up to do'?
Always 'end up doing'. 'End up' is followed by an -ing form, a noun phrase or a preposition: end up crying, end up a millionaire, end up in hospital.
Does 'end up' always suggest something bad?
No, but it does imply the outcome was unplanned. 'She ended up running the company' is entirely positive; the word simply signals that the result came about by chance or drift rather than design.
What is the meaning of end up?
"end up" (phrasal verb) means to reach a particular situation, place or state in the end, especially one that was not planned.
