# make ends meet

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/make-ends-meet
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To have enough money to cover expenses; to get by financially; to get through the pay period (sufficient to meet the next payday).

## Examples

- She works two jobs just to make ends meet.
- After losing his job, he struggled to make ends meet on unemployment benefits alone.
- Despite rising rents and stagnant wages, the family somehow managed to make ends meet through careful budgeting and side work.

## Origin

The origin of the phrase is uncertain, though the form *make both ends meet* was the standard iteration from the 17th century until the early-to-mid 20th century. One theory suggests the expression originally referred to the ends of a rope. To make such ends meet was to ensure continuity, thereby providing a measure of security and stability for the task at hand. A competing, perhaps later, explanation involves the attempt to make one's finances last from the start of a pay period to the conclusion of the next. In this sense, the ends are the temporal boundaries of the budget; making them meet ensures no gap in the availability of funds occurs. The French equivalent, *joindre les deux bouts*, suggests the concept of joining two ends for solvency is a shared European preoccupation. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.