# finish up with

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/finish-up-with
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

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

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We finished up with eat dessert." but "We finished up with dessert." — the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund, not a base verb.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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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.