Ending things in life, whether it’s a conversation, a project, or a relationship, can sometimes be tricky. However, idioms offer a creative way to express the act of concluding something. These idiomatic expressions give a fun and colorful twist to the idea of endings. They help us speak about finishing things in a more imaginative and relatable way, making our communication richer and more engaging. If you’re looking to add some flair to your vocabulary, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some idioms that can be used when it’s time to wrap things up.
In this article, we’ll explore 45 popular idioms that refer to ending something. Some might relate to finishing tasks, others to stopping actions, and some could even be used when saying goodbye. Each idiom has its own special meaning and is an excellent way to sound more natural and expressive in conversation.
Idioms for Ending Something
1. Call it a day
Meaning: To stop doing something, usually because you feel it’s time to finish or take a break.
In a Sentence: After hours of work, I decided to call it a day and go home.
Other Ways to Say: Finish up, Wrap it up
2. Draw the line
Meaning: To set a limit or boundary after which you will not go further.
In a Sentence: I’m willing to help, but I draw the line at doing your homework for you.
Other Ways to Say: Set a limit, Establish boundaries
3. Hit the brakes
Meaning: To slow down or stop an activity.
In a Sentence: We were planning to go on the trip, but we had to hit the brakes due to the bad weather.
Other Ways to Say: Slow down, Stop for a moment
4. Close the book
Meaning: To finish something completely and move on.
In a Sentence: It’s time to close the book on this chapter and start a new one in our business.
Other Ways to Say: Finish up, End this phase
5. Pull the plug
Meaning: To stop something from continuing, especially when you decide it’s no longer worth pursuing.
In a Sentence: We had to pull the plug on the project because it wasn’t working out.
Other Ways to Say: Terminate, Cancel
6. Call it quits
Meaning: To end something, often after trying for a long time.
In a Sentence: After many attempts, I decided to call it quits and leave the competition.
Other Ways to Say: Stop, End it
7. Finish up
Meaning: To complete or bring to an end.
In a Sentence: Let’s finish up this project and head out for lunch.
Other Ways to Say: Wrap up, Complete
8. Draw to a close
Meaning: To bring something to its final point or end.
In a Sentence: As the event drew to a close, the audience gave a standing ovation.
Other Ways to Say: Finish up, Conclude
9. Tie up loose ends
Meaning: To finish any remaining details before something is completely done.
In a Sentence: Before leaving the office, I need to tie up loose ends on this report.
Other Ways to Say: Complete final tasks, Finalize things
10. End on a high note
Meaning: To conclude something on a positive or successful moment.
In a Sentence: Let’s end the meeting on a high note by celebrating our achievements.
Other Ways to Say: Finish with success, Conclude positively
11. Call time
Meaning: To announce that it is time to end an activity.
In a Sentence: The referee called time at the end of the game.
Other Ways to Say: Announce the end, End the activity
12. Wind down
Meaning: To gradually finish or relax after a busy time.
In a Sentence: We decided to wind down the party after everyone had danced for hours.
Other Ways to Say: Relax, Calm down
13. Put an end to
Meaning: To stop something completely.
In a Sentence: The manager decided to put an end to the project due to budget cuts.
Other Ways to Say: Terminate, End it
14. Finish the job
Meaning: To complete a task or job.
In a Sentence: I stayed up late to finish the job before the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Complete the task, Wrap it up
15. Close the door on
Meaning: To end an opportunity or possibility.
In a Sentence: After the argument, they decided to close the door on their friendship.
Other Ways to Say: Shut it down, End the opportunity
16. Bring to an end
Meaning: To finish something.
In a Sentence: We need to bring this meeting to an end before it gets too late.
Other Ways to Say: Finish off, Conclude
17. Draw a line under
Meaning: To decide to stop thinking about something, often to forget about past events.
In a Sentence: After the disagreement, we decided to draw a line under the whole situation and move on.
Other Ways to Say: Move past, Let go of
18. Shut down
Meaning: To stop something from functioning or continuing.
In a Sentence: They decided to shut down the store early due to the storm.
Other Ways to Say: Close, Stop
19. Leave behind
Meaning: To stop dealing with something and focus on the future.
In a Sentence: It’s time to leave behind the past and look forward to new opportunities.
Other Ways to Say: Move on from, Forget about
20. Close the curtain on
Meaning: To bring something to an end or conclusion, often with finality.
In a Sentence: After the final performance, they closed the curtain on the season.
Other Ways to Say: End, Finish
21. Cut to the chase
Meaning: To get to the point or conclusion quickly.
In a Sentence: Let’s cut to the chase and talk about what’s really important.
Other Ways to Say: Skip the details, Get to the point
22. Finish the race
Meaning: To complete something, especially after a long period of effort.
In a Sentence: After months of hard work, I’m finally finishing the race on my thesis.
Other Ways to Say: Complete the task, End the journey
23. Put the final nail in the coffin
Meaning: To bring about the final end to something.
In a Sentence: The last budget cut put the final nail in the coffin for the project.
Other Ways to Say: Finish off, End decisively
24. Put a cap on
Meaning: To finish or conclude something, usually to limit or restrict it.
In a Sentence: We decided to put a cap on the meeting and head home.
Other Ways to Say: End, Finish
25. Say goodbye to
Meaning: To leave something behind or stop it permanently.
In a Sentence: It’s time to say goodbye to our old ways and embrace the future.
Other Ways to Say: Let go of, Move on from
26. Hang it up
Meaning: To stop doing something, usually because it’s no longer possible or worth it.
In a Sentence: After years of playing, he decided to hang up his baseball bat for good.
Other Ways to Say: Quit, Retire
27. Throw in the towel
Meaning: To give up or admit defeat.
In a Sentence: After several attempts, I had to throw in the towel and accept I couldn’t fix the issue.
Other Ways to Say: Surrender, Give up
28. Fold
Meaning: To stop doing something, often because of failure or difficulty.
In a Sentence: After the financial losses, the company had to fold.
Other Ways to Say: Close down, End
29. Wrap it up
Meaning: To finish something.
In a Sentence: Let’s wrap it up for the day and continue tomorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Conclude, Finish
30. Seal the deal
Meaning: To complete a task or agreement successfully.
In a Sentence: The last email helped seal the deal for the new partnership.
Other Ways to Say: Finalize, Complete
31. Round off
Meaning: To complete something in a satisfying way.
In a Sentence: We rounded off the day with a delicious dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Finish, End
32. Put a stop to
Meaning: To halt or end something from continuing.
In a Sentence: The teacher had to put a stop to the noisy conversation.
Other Ways to Say: Stop, End
33. Put an end to it
Meaning: To conclude something.
In a Sentence: It’s time to put an end to all the arguing and move forward.
Other Ways to Say: End, Finish
34. Wrap things up
Meaning: To bring something to a conclusion.
In a Sentence: We need to wrap things up so we can head home.
Other Ways to Say: Finish, Close
35. Call it a wrap
Meaning: To finish something, especially an activity.
In a Sentence: That’s a wrap for today’s photo shoot!
Other Ways to Say: End, Finish
36. Draw a conclusion
Meaning: To make a final decision or judgment.
In a Sentence: After all the evidence was presented, the jury drew a conclusion.
Other Ways to Say: Conclude, Decide
37. Bring to a halt
Meaning: To stop or bring something to an end.
In a Sentence: The storm brought our outdoor plans to a halt.
Other Ways to Say: Stop, End
38. Shut the door on
Meaning: To stop something permanently.
In a Sentence: After the meeting, he shut the door on the possibility of a deal.
Other Ways to Say: Close, End
39. Say the last word
Meaning: To make the final statement in a conversation or discussion.
In a Sentence: After hours of debating, he finally said the last word and ended the discussion.
Other Ways to Say: Conclude, Finish
40. End with a bang
Meaning: To finish something with a dramatic or exciting conclusion.
In a Sentence: We ended the concert with a bang, and the crowd went wild!
Other Ways to Say: Finish dramatically, Conclude excitingly
41. End on a low note
Meaning: To finish something with a disappointing or unsatisfactory conclusion.
In a Sentence: The movie ended on a low note, leaving everyone in the theater feeling sad.
Other Ways to Say: Finish on a bad note, Conclude poorly
42. Wrap up loose ends
Meaning: To finish or finalize the remaining details of something.
In a Sentence: Before leaving for the vacation, she wrapped up loose ends at the office.
Other Ways to Say: Finalize, Complete the remaining tasks
43. Close the book on
Meaning: To bring something to a definitive end.
In a Sentence: After the final decision was made, they closed the book on the debate.
Other Ways to Say: Finish, End it
44. Call it a night
Meaning: To stop doing something, usually when it’s late in the evening.
In a Sentence: After a long day of work, we decided to call it a night and go to bed.
Other Ways to Say: End the day, Go to bed
45. End of the road
Meaning: The final point in a journey or activity.
In a Sentence: After years of hard work, I reached the end of the road in my career.
Other Ways to Say: Final stage, Last point
Conclusion
Idioms for ending something are a great way to add color and creativity to your language. Whether you’re finishing a conversation, a project, or a chapter of your life, these expressions make the ending feel more meaningful and less dull. Use these idioms to express closure in a fun, engaging way and make your language come to life!
Remember, endings are just as important as beginnings—they mark the completion of a journey and the opportunity to start something new. By using these idioms, you’ll have an expressive and fresh way to bring closure to any situation.
