🏁 The final part 🐾 A rear part

tail end

13 3.5

The last part of something, especially a period or event

noun

: final

At the tail end of summer, the days start to get shorter and cooler.

I'm trying to survive the tail end of an illness here.

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Examples

She arrived at the tail end of the concert, just in time for the encore.
We are currently at the tail end of the project, finishing the last details.
But I will say we're on the tail end now of a four year.
OK, this by the tail end of the studio system kind of fell apart.
And it was towards the end, tail end of that year, I thought this might not work.
Maybe we'll catch the tail end of it.

Into the Storm (2014)
So, are we going to catch the tail end of the movie or go straight to the party?

The Glass House (2001)
I am outside enjoying, you know, the tail end of summer.

Molly Burke
If you are tuning in just now and you missed the tail end of December, a lot had happened.

IMPAULSIVE
I turned on the TV today for the tail end of a golf tournament.

Blog text (21)

Synonyms

end

vstail end

∞ 1.0

The final part of something, like an event or story

emphasises the final section of a time period or event

ending

vstail end

398 1.0

The final part of something, like an event, story, or relationship

focuses especially on the last section of a period or event

vstail end

273 1.6

The end of an event, period, or activity

highlights the final section at the very end of a time period or event

finale

vstail end

180 3.6

The last, most exciting part of a show or event

means the last section without implying special excitement or importance

conclusion

vstail end

167 2.2

The last part of an event, activity, or piece of writing

stresses the closing section of a period or event rather than resolution

tail

vstail end

70 2.0

The last part of a period or event

is used for the very last section of a period or event

end of the line

vstail end

47 4.1

The point when something stops or finishes

refers to the last section of a period or event rather than idiomatic finality

finish

vstail end

39 1.0

The final part of an event or activity

refers more to the closing section of a time period or event

endpoint

vstail end

11 5.4

A place or time when something ends

emphasises the final section rather than a fixed completion point

denouement

vstail end

Literature

8 8.9

Last part of a story or play that explains what happened

is broader, applying to last sections of time or events not only stories

windup

vstail end

8 5.1

The final part of an event or activity

means the last section rather than emphasising the closing action

finito

vstail end

Informal

6 9.9

The end of an activity or event

is about the last section of a period rather than announcing completion

finis

vstail end

Archaic

3 9.9

A word used to show the formal end of a book, film or performance

anchors meaning as the last section without literary flourish

termination

vstail end

3 5.5

The end point of something like a road or tunnel

focuses on the last section rather than the formal boundary or stopping point

stopping point

vstail end

1 3.1

A time when an activity or event ends

refers to the last section of a period instead of the precise stopping moment

terminus

vstail end

1 7.5

The final goal of a process or journey

is used for the last section of a period rather than an ultimate goal

end point

vstail end

1 3.9

The place or moment when something finishes

is about the last section of a period or event rather than a point

wind-up

vstail end

1 3.6

The final part of an event or activity

focuses on the last section of a period rather than a concluding action

final period

vstail end

3.6

The last part of a period of time, for example a school year or concert

is the same but used for any last section of an event or period

terminus ad quem

vstail end

Formal

9.9

The last date when something must happen

applies generally to last sections rather than serving as a formal time limit

tag end

vstail end

7.3

A small piece left at the very end of cloth or ribbon

means the last section rather than a tiny leftover remainder

fag end

vstail end

9.9

The last small part of something often thought less important

refers to the last section without implying low quality or neglect

Antonyms

beginning

∞ 1.0

The first part of something when it starts

How Late

finale

180 3.6

tail end

13 3.5

middle

∞ 1.0

beginning

1.0

Surface Forms

tail end singular

tail ends plural

Morphology

tail + end

The meaning 'the rear or final part' is directly and compositionally built from 'tail' (rear appendage) + 'end' (final part); there is no idiomatic shift. This straightforward noun–noun combination follows common compounding patterns and is cross‑linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The noun tail end comes from the image of an animal's tail at the very end of its body. Because the tail is at the far end, people used tail end to mean 'the last part' of a time, event, or thing.