happy ending
Americannoun
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happy endings
plural
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in a story, a conclusion in which good has the final victory and major issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the lead characters, often with the formation of a romantic relationship and sometimes regarded as unrealistic, cliché, or sentimental.
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in real life, a favorable conclusion to any issue or series of events; a positive outcome for a particular person or group.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I once thought the only happy ending would be one with marriage and children.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
There’s more subtlety, more shades of gray, and while it doesn’t have a happy ending either, it offers ecstatic redemption.
From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026
Still, Clark waved her ring around while the young audience screamed in their collective hope that all the internalized misogyny would lead to the happy ending they were promised.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
Some authors want to give their main character a happy ending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
I could decide my own happy ending for myself.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
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