English Reference

Phrasal verb

finish up with

Definition

phrasal verb. to have something as the final part of an activity or a meal.

phrasal verb. to conclude a sequence or process with a specific final action, item, or result; often used in the context of dining or task completion.

Examples

“We finished up with a delicious chocolate cake.”

“After discussing the budget and the new hires, the team finished up with a quick brainstorming session.”

“The symphony finished up with a triumphant brass fanfare that left the audience standing in applause for several minutes.”

Examples

simple

“We finished up with a delicious chocolate cake.”

contextual

“After discussing the budget and the new hires, the team finished up with a quick brainstorming session.”

complex

“The symphony finished up with a triumphant brass fanfare that left the audience standing in applause for several minutes.”

Usage

the object is usually the final item in a series or the last course of a meal.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'finish' (the act of ending) by highlighting that 'finish up with' focuses on the specific final component of a multi-step experience.

Pitfall

We finished up with eat dessert.

We finished up with dessert.

the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not a base verb.

Phrasal verb

Particles

up with

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

finish + up + with + object

Synonyms

end withconclude withwrap up with

Antonyms

start withbegin withopen with

Grammar

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference