Ending

'ɛndɪŋ

nounBeginner🔥Very CommonEvent
2 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

The final part of something, such as a story, a movie, a game, or a period of time.

'ɛndɪŋ

nounneutralBeginner
Event

The conclusion or final part of something.

The ending of the movie left the audience in tears.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're reading a book, and you're almost at the last page. The ending is the very last part where the story finishes. Or, think of your favorite TV show - the ending is the last episode!

👶 For kids: The ending is the last part of something, like the end of a story or a game.

More Examples

2

The ending of the race was very exciting.

3

The ending of the speech was a call to action.

How It's Used

Literary

"The story's ending was bittersweet."

Film

"The film had a surprise ending."

General

"She was looking forward to the ending of the school day."

2

A suffix added to the end of a word to change its grammatical function (e.g., tense, number).

'ɛndɪŋ

nounneutralmedium
Grammar

A final letter or syllable added to the end of a word, to change its tense or form.

The word 'running' has the ending '-ing'.

💡 Simply: Think about how some words change their form when you add a little piece at the end. For example, you can add an '-ing' at the end of a word and it may mean that somebody is doing something. Like walk + ing = walking.

👶 For kids: Sometimes, words have something added to the end of them! Like when you add "-ing" to the word "play" to say "playing".

More Examples

2

The '-ed' ending usually indicates a past tense verb.

3

Recognizing the correct word ending is essential for proper grammar.

How It's Used

Linguistics

"The '-ing' ending indicates a present participle."

Grammar

"The '-s' ending is used for plural nouns."

Tip:Think of how adding '-ed' changes 'walk' to 'walked'.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

bittersweet ending

A conclusion that is both happy and sad.

"The movie had a bittersweet ending, leaving viewers with a mix of emotions."

happy ending

A positive and satisfying conclusion.

"The romance novel had a happy ending."

From the Old English 'end', meaning 'a limit, boundary, or conclusion', influenced by the verb 'end' and the suffix '-ing' denoting an action or state.

The word 'ending' has been used in English for centuries to describe the conclusion of events or processes. Its usage has remained consistent throughout.

Memory tip

Think of the 'end' of a book or movie.

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"A limit, boundary, or conclusion"

happy endingbittersweet endingabrupt endingunexpected endingsad ending

Common misspellings

enddingendings

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written