‘At the end’, ‘In the end’, ‘By the end’… Ah, English is a confusing language, isn’t it? This is one of the most common mistakes people commit worldwide. At the end of the day, it is about what is the use of in the end!

	In the end	At the end	By the end
Definition	Commonly used as an idiom; Can be used synonymously as – – Finally – After all – After a long time – After considering everything – As a final result – After all the uncertainty has been resolved	– Commonly used literally to denote the point of time – Preposition phrase that usually follows this syntax: ‘At the end of (a noun)‘ – Event occurring at the same time as the end	– Something that has finished happening before the end happens
Preposition Meaning	The preposition used: – “in” Meaning: – expressing the situation of something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else. Source	The preposition used: – “At” Meaning: – expressing location or arrival in a particular place or position; expressing the time when an event takes place. Source	The preposition used: – “By” Meaning: – indicating a deadline or the end of a particular time period.; indicating the period in which something happens. Source
Examples	– He had a tough life. But, in the end, he looked content. – In the end, satisfaction is the only thing that matters in life. – She was excited to read that book since the launch was announced, but in the end, the book was a huge disappointment.	– She coughs at the end of almost every sentence. – You will get the bill at the end of the month based on your water usage. – If you go straight, you’ll find a gas station at the end of this road.	– All your bills should be paid by the end of this month. – By the end of the test, he was sure he would fail. – Our house had become a huge disaster by the end of the party.

In this article, I have tried to give as easy a distinction and explanation of every phrase as I can. However, if you still have any doubts, please feel free to reach out. Send your queries to us.

Meaning of ‘In the end’

In the end, it is an idiomatic phrase that means it is a phrase which is not meant to be taken literally.

“In the end” is synonymous with –

• finally
• end of a long period
• everything said and done

A comma mostly follows this phrase: – “In the end, ….” 

In this case, you usually give the premise of a situation and tell how it ended using the phrase “in the end”.

When the resolution is opposite of the premise, the conjunction “but” is used.

For example,

• Something really bad happened but in the end, everything turned out okay.
• Something really nice happened but in the end, something bad took place.

The premise and resolution need not be opposite. When the resolution is in line with the premise, the conjunction “and” is used.

For example,

• Something good happened and in the end, the result was good too.
• Something bad happened and in the end, the result came out bad too.

Let’s take an example of the famous song called “In the End” by Linkin Park. The song’s chorus says, “In the end, it doesn’t even matter” which means nothing matters by the end of everything. The songwriter uses this phrase in a conclusive tone. 

In the end, the defense lawyer won the case.  

Amy and Sam resolved their issues and in the end, they walked back home, hand-in-hand. 

I kept on waiting for her. In the end, I went alone.

Meaning of ‘At the end’

At the end is a phrase used to denote an end or finish of a particular time, place, or situation.

The preposition ‘At’ refers to a location or a particular time.

Another difference between these two phrases is the use of the word ‘of’. When we use ‘at the end’ it’s always ‘of’ something, which means related to the location/time. However, when we don’t use ‘of’ after ‘in the end’.

is a synonym for ‘in conclusion.’ It doesn’t mean night or the end of the day. It means ‘conclusively’ something happened at a location or at a particular time. It means a point where something stops/ ends. 

Meaning of ‘By the end’

The Difference Explained with Examples

A simple example can understand the difference between these terms.

Here are a few for at the end:

• She met him at the end of the movie outside the theatre.

• A tree fell in the thunderstorm at the end of the street.

• The HR said they’ll get back to me at the end of the day.

All these sentences refer to a particular point in time(end of the movie, end of the day)  or a specific location(outside the theatre, end of the street). Conclusively ‘at’ specifies a definite location/time.

Now, here are a few examples of ‘in the end’:

• In the end, it’s the only family that matters.
• Practice always wins in the end.
• In the end, we didn’t go through with the purchase.

All these sentences show that ‘in the end’ is a conclusive phrase. Therefore ‘in the end’ is a synonym for ‘finally.’ 

Examples 

 At the end examples and how to use them in a sentence:

• Take a right from here, his house is at the end of the road. 
• The teacher announced a test at the end of the lecture. 
• When sick, try to stay home. At the end of the day, it is about everyone’s safety. 

In the end examples and how to use them in a sentence:

• In the end, the defense lawyer won the case. 
•  Amy and Sam resolved their issues and in the end, they walked back home hand-in-hand. 
• I kept on waiting for her. In the end, I went alone.

Conclusion

At the end of this article, you will know how to distinguish between the phases. In the end, it’s all about knowledge.