1 B1 informal
To complete the remaining parts of a task, meal, or activity.
"Finish up your homework before you turn on the television."
separable
finish up
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To complete what remains of a task or activity, or to find oneself in a particular situation at the end.
In plain English
To do the last things needed to be completely done, or to end up somewhere.
What does "finish up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To end up in a particular place or situation after a series of events.
"We took a wrong turn and finished up miles from the hotel."
inseparable
Usage tip
Very common in everyday speech. When used intransitively, it often means to arrive at a final state ('we finished up in Paris'). When transitive, it means to complete the remaining portion of something. Slightly more emphatic than simply 'finish'.
Words that pair with "finish up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
work meal meeting task report leftovers
How to conjugate "finish up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
finish up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
finishes up
he/she/it
Past simple
finished up
yesterday
Past participle
finished up
have + pp
-ing form
finishing up
continuous
Hear "finish up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "finish up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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