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

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."

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 notes

In 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'.

Easily confused with

wind up → turn out end →

Common pairings

end up doing end up in hospital end up together end up broke end up like

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

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

end increase finish prove rape whore prank thrill

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.

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