End up meaning
End up means to finally be in a situation or do something you did not plan. It can also mean to arrive in a place without planning to.
end up
end up · ended · ending
We wanted to go hiking, but we ended up watching films.
End up meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary.
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1
Finally be in a situation or do something you did not plan
end up
- We wanted to go hiking, but we ended up watching films.
- If you don’t study, you’ll end up failing.
- She ended up as the boss of the whole company.
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2
Arrive in a place without planning to
end up
- We got lost and ended up in a tiny village.
- How did my keys end up in the fridge?
- He took the wrong bus and ended up at the airport.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use end up in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is end up separable?
End up has no object. After it, use -ing, a place, an adjective, or as/with + noun: end up paying, end up in Rome, end up tired, end up with nothing.
End up is not followed by to + verb. Say I ended up staying, never I ended up to stay.
Verb tenses for end up
| Present | I end up · she ends up |
|---|---|
| Past | ended up |
| Present perfect | have ended up |
| -ing form | ending up |
Common mistakes with end up
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: We ended up to take a taxi.
Right: We ended up taking a taxi.
Use the -ing form after end up.
Wrong: After the party I ended up at home at 3 am, as planned.
Right: After the party I got home at 3 am, as planned.
End up suggests something you did not plan.
Wrong: He ended up with to pay the whole bill.
Right: He ended up paying the whole bill.
Use with + noun, or the -ing form, not with to.
Synonyms and opposites of end up
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- turn outhappen in a way you did not expect: It turned out well
- wind upinformal, end up in a bad place or situation
- finallyat the end, after a long time
Opposite
- start outbe something at the beginning: She started out as a waitress
- set out tobegin with a clear plan to do something
End up quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1We planned a quiet night, but we ___ dancing until 2 am.
End up + -ing means finally do something you did not plan.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use the -ing form after end up.
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3“My phone ended up in the washing machine.” What does the speaker mean?
End up in a place often means arrive there without a plan.
Find your level
The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.
- get upA1get out of bed after you sleep
- take upB1start a new hobby or activity
- put upB1fix something to a wall, or raise something higher
- look upA2find information in a dictionary, a book or online
- go upB1become higher, like a price, a number or a temperature
- come upB2be mentioned or talked about
- give upB1stop doing or having something, often a habit
- break upB1end a romantic relationship
End up FAQ
Questions people ask about end up.
Is end up followed by -ing or to?
Use -ing: I ended up working late. To + verb is wrong after end up.
What is the difference between end up and finally?
Both talk about the end. End up adds that it was not the plan: We ended up taking the train.
What does end up with mean?
It means finally have something: We ended up with three cats. It is often a surprise.
Use end up in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.