All good things must come to an end, and so too must projects, phases, and experiences. In this post, we explore 20 expressions that vividly capture the essence of endings. From the inevitable conclusion of a journey to the closure of a chapter in life, these phrases add color and depth to our descriptions of finality.
1. Bite the dust
Meaning: Fail or come to an end
Example: The old car finally bit the dust on the highway.
2. Draw to a close
Meaning: Slowly end
Example: The meeting drew to a close after two hours.
3. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work late into the night
Example: We burned the midnight oil to finish the project.
4. Wrap up
Meaning: Conclude something
Example: Let’s wrap up this meeting and go home.
5. Ring down the curtain
Meaning: Bring an event to an end
Example: The director rang down the curtain with a speech.
6. Wind up
Meaning: Conclude activities
Example: She wound up her speech with a quote.
7. Call it a day
Meaning: Stop working for the day
Example: After hours of work, we called it a day.
8. Put to bed
Meaning: Complete satisfactorily
Example: The editor put the magazine issue to bed.
9. Hang up one’s boots
Meaning: Retire from activity
Example: After 30 years, he hung up his boots.
10. Bring down the curtain
Meaning: End proceedings
Example: The festival brought down the curtain with fireworks.
11. Draw the line
Meaning: Set a definite limit
Example: She drew the line at working weekends.
12. Throw in the towel
Meaning: Give up
Example: He threw in the towel after three failures.
13. Cut off
Meaning: Abruptly stop
Example: The power was cut off during the storm.
14. Run its course
Meaning: Come to a natural end
Example: The epidemic finally ran its course.
15. Call it quits
Meaning: Stop working or trying
Example: They called it quits after years of struggle.
16. Pack it in
Meaning: Cease activity
Example: Exhausted, he decided to pack it in.
17. Close the book on
Meaning: End a chapter or phase
Example: She closed the book on her teaching career.
18. Shut down
Meaning: Cease operations
Example: The factory shut down after 80 years.
19. Drop the curtain
Meaning: End
Example: They dropped the curtain on the old theater.
20. Kill the lights
Meaning: End by turning off lights
Example: After everyone left, he killed the lights.
