Synonyms

end of the line

Idioms

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]

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.

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

A man on the other end of the line replies.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 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

The barking voice on the other end of the line spoke in rapid-fire French.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

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