Phrasal verb
end in sth
Definition
phrasal verb. To finish in a certain way or have a particular result.
phrasal verb. To conclude with a specific outcome or in a particular state; the object of the preposition 'in' specifies the result.
Examples
“The game often ends in a draw.”
“Their long argument finally ended in tears.”
“Despite early optimism, the ambitious project ended in failure, leaving the company with significant financial losses.”
Examples
simple
“The game often ends in a draw.”
contextual
“Their long argument finally ended in tears.”
complex
“Despite early optimism, the ambitious project ended in failure, leaving the company with significant financial losses.”
Usage
The object is usually an abstract noun describing the result, such as 'failure', 'success', or 'disaster'.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'result in' (a near-synonym but more formal) and 'lead to' (which focuses more on the causal chain than the final state).
Pitfall
The argument ended tears.
The argument ended in tears.
The preposition 'in' is required to connect the verb 'end' to the resulting state or outcome.
Phrasal verb
Particles
in
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
end + in + object