End vs. Finish

These two verbs are synonyms but they have a subtle difference which we are going to discuss in this lesson.

What is the difference between 'end' and 'finish'?

Both 'end' and 'finish' refer to conclusion of an action or event. 'End' typically means to bring something to a conclusion or to stop or terminate something. However, 'finish' means to complete an action, task, process, or activity. This lesson will discuss this difference in further detail.

Termination vs. Completion

While both 'end' and 'finish' refer to concluding an action or event, 'finish' means to complete something, such as a task or activity. When you finish something, you accomplish or conclude it, often implying that there is no further action required. However, 'end' simply means that the action or event stopped happening or was terminated. It is often used when referring to something that naturally comes to a conclusion or when describing the overall termination of an activity.

The book ended with a surprising twist.

She finished writing the book.

She ended writing the book.

This sentence implies that she terminated or abandoned the process of writing the book and does not necessarily mean that she completed the task.

They decided to end their relationship after months of disagreements.

We need to finish the presentation before the deadline.

Similarity

'Finish' can also mean to conclude or terminate. In this meaning, it is synonymous with end and acts intransitively. However, using 'finish' in this sense is rather uncommon and usually 'end' is used instead.

The concert finished with my favorite song.

The concert ended with my favorite song.

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