be the end of one

Idioms

Be one's downfall, as in His heavy drinking may well be the end of him, or That math assignment will be the end of me. This phrase originally alluded to something that would cause someone's death. Today, while it may be used seriously (as in the first example), it more often is used more lightly (as in the second).

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mr. Carlson’s and Mr. Lemon's exits may be the end of one era in cable news.

From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2023

It will be the end of one era just as Rosen continues the early stages of what he hopes is a lengthy professional football career.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2019

If so, it’ll be the end of one of the least successful tenures in the franchise history.

From Washington Times • Dec. 28, 2017

What might be the end of one of the most expensive searches in medical history came when two Stanford University scientists isolated the virus that causes: /.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023