末路|まつろmatsuro[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounlast days; the end; one's fate

• Related最期さいごWrittenWritten. A person's dying moments or death, as in 「最期を看取る」; unlike 末路, it need not be tragic.
• Related終焉しゅうえんWrittenWritten. The end or demise of a life or an era; also used for peacefully spending one's final years.
• Related最後さいごNeutralNeutral. The everyday word for 'last'; points to the end of a sequence and carries no note of pity.
• Related末期まっきWrittenWritten. The final stage of an era or an illness, as in 「江戸末期」; a period of time, not a fate.
• Related結末けつまつWrittenWritten. How an event or story ends; neutral, with none of the pity of 末路.
• Related終局しゅうきょくWrittenWritten. A matter being brought to a close, or the end of a go or shogi game.
• Related終末しゅうまつWrittenWritten. The end of things or of works, and the end of the world, as in 「終末論」; lacks 末路's tragic tone.
• Related幕切れまくぎれNeutralNeutral. The way a play or affair closes, as in 「あっけない幕切れ」; common in news reports too.
• Related終幕しゅうまくWrittenWritten. The final act of a play, or the close of a matter.
• Related末つ方すえつかたWrittenWritten and rare. The latter part of a period of time.
• Related終期しゅうきWrittenWritten and rare. The time when something ends, or when a legal effect expires.
• Antonym始まりはじまりNeutralNeutral. A beginning or origin — the opposite of the sad end that 末路 describes.

「末路」 is the sad end a person or organization comes to, said with pity or as a warning, as in 「独裁者の末路」. For a person's dying moments choose 「最期」, and for 'last' in general use 「最後」. The others name endings without the tragic color: 「末期」 for final stages, 「結末」 for how things turn out, 「終焉」 for the end of a life or era.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 行程こうていの最後さいごの部分ぶぶん。
2. 人ひとが死期しきを迎むかえたり、組織そしきなどが最後さいごを迎むかえたりすること、又また、その時期じき。一般いっぱんには憐あわれむべき場合ばあいに用もちいる。
3. 衰おとろえはてた末すえの状態じょうたい。なれのはて。結末けつまつ。