Meaning & use
bookend
Last updated
One of a pair of supports placed at either end of a row of books to hold them upright, or, figuratively, something that marks the beginning and end of a period or sequence.
See it in a sentence
She used a pair of heavy stone bookends to keep her novels from toppling over.
The two concerts bookended an unforgettable summer tour.
A note on using this word
Frequently used as a verb, meaning to frame or mark both ends of an event, story, or period of time.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To mark or frame both the beginning and end of something.
The documentary is bookended by interviews with the same two survivors.
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