Meaning & use

end up

phrase·Everyday

To eventually reach a particular situation, place, or state, often without having planned it.

See it in a sentence

If you keep spending more than you earn, you will end up in serious debt.

We got lost on the hike and ended up on a completely different trail than planned.

A note on using this word

End up is usually followed by an adjective, a prepositional phrase, or an '-ing' verb to describe the eventual result.

Words with a similar meaning

wind upturn out

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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