end of the line

Idioms  

1. Also, end of the road. The conclusion or final outcome. For example, The editorial pointed out that it was the end of the line for the President; he'd never be reelected, or It was obviously the end of the road for this television series. This idiom alludes to the point where a road or line stops. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

end of the line

When it finally picked up, I was briefly horrified by what sounded like screaming on the other end of the line.

From Slate ● Jun. 20, 2026

Telegraphy was nearly instantaneous, but it required skilled operators at each end of the line to encode and decode the message, effectively slowing transmission.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

When he got to the end of the line, at about 8:45 a.m., he noticed a handful of smoky areas in heavier brush, and a hand line that wasn’t cut properly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

It takes a certain kind of approach which combines listening closely and trying to understand the person on the other end of the line.

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026

I ignore them and find a spot at the opposite end of the line.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

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