to put an end to
- phrasal verb
- The government needs to put an end to pollution to protect the environment.
- aim to put an end to
- finally put an end to
- put an end to internal divisions
Instead, Alexander's death has put an end to any unification process.
- Instead, Alexander's death has put an end to any unification process.
- So everybody has a powerful incentive to put an end to the conflict right away.
- If this is in my head, I'm putting an end to it next week.
- But I think we have to put an end to this, like going to somebody's home, right?
- So by again using the name, and by making a great sacrifice, he's able to put an end to a great evil.
- Six months ago, the coronavirus shut down the world, putting an end to our plans for in person video collaborations.
- And that fresh news puts an end to the current short term goal and offers up the next short term goal.
- Well, that, you might say, put an end to ideas that England could be conquered by Norwegians or Danes or Vikings.
- It's only that self knowledge that will put an end to to this, to this longing.
Examples
-
Now it is time to put an end to this controversy.
-
"Great King," he pleaded, "only you can put an end to this disastrous war."
Fiction book (1994) -
We are going to put an end... ...to violence in this state.
-
We want to pay the money and put an end to the whole affair.
Fiction book (1994) -
A way must be found to put an end to this state of affairs.
Academic text (1993) -
So everybody has a powerful incentive to put an end to the conflict right away.
-
Dr. Meacham, I represent a group of scientists who work with but one purpose, to put an end to war.
-
Support may finally be building, however, to put an end to the public subsidization of franchises.
Academic text (1998) -
To improve the community, we will put an end to gang violence.
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She decided to put an end to the endless arguments and focused on finding a solution.
Synonyms
To make something end and not continue
To stop something or make it finish
To bring something to an end or complete it
To finish an event, meeting, or activity
To stop something suddenly before it is finished
To officially stop an action or process for a time
To stop or come to an end
To finish an activity or event
To stop moving or make something stop moving
To complete an activity or task
To stop public protest by force or by people in power
To make something stop or finish
To stop something from going on by removing support like money
To end something so it no longer happens
To stop something that is happening or being given
Bring an activity or meeting to an end
Decide that a matter has ended and do nothing more about it
To stop plans or activities from happening
End something completely so it does not continue
Finish something completely so no more work is needed
To stop a meeting or discussion
End a computer or website connection when you finish using it
Antonyms
How Final
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to cause something to stop' is directly and compositionally derived from 'put' (to place/bring into a state) combined with 'end' (a conclusion), so a learner who knows those words can infer 'put an end to X' means 'bring X to an end'. The construction is a common, literal English pattern (cf. Spanish 'poner fin a', French 'mettre fin à'), making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Put an end to is like putting a lid on a box or closing a book: you put something at the end to stop what is happening and finish it. So it means 'to stop' or 'to finish' something.