1 A2 neutral
To eventually arrive in a place or situation, often one that was not intended or expected.
"We took the wrong turning and ended up in completely the wrong town."
inseparable
end up
A2 neutral inseparable intransitive
To eventually reach a place, situation, or condition, especially one that was not planned or expected.
In plain English
To finally be in a place or situation, especially when you didn't plan it that way.
What does "end up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To eventually do something or be in a particular condition after a series of events.
"He dropped out of university but ended up running his own successful business."
“
I had no idea that I was going to end up in politics.
— Michelle Obama, Becoming (2018)
inseparable
3 A2 neutral
To be left with a particular outcome or result after a process or chain of events.
"After all the deductions, we ended up paying more tax than we expected."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To reach your end in an upward position — partially transparent.
Actually means
To finally be in a place or situation, especially when you didn't plan it that way.
Usage tip
One of the most essential and frequently used phrasal verbs in English. Used by all ages in both British and American English. Often implies an unexpected or unplanned final situation. Almost always followed by a noun phrase, adjective, or '-ing' verb: 'ended up in hospital,' 'ended up sleeping on the floor.'
Words that pair with "end up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
hospital alone homeless regretting winning broke
How to conjugate "end up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
end up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ends up
he/she/it
Past simple
ended up
yesterday
Past participle
ended up
have + pp
-ing form
ending up
continuous
Hear "end up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "end up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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