N2 Results, Change, and Progress

~あげく: meaning, usage and examples

~あげく means: after... / in the end... (negative result).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. さんざん悩なやんだあげく、辞やめることにした。

   After worrying so much, I decided to quit.

2. 議論ぎろんのあげく、結論けつろんが出でなかった。

   After all the discussion, no conclusion was reached.

3. 道みちに迷まよったあげく、終電しゅうでんに乗のり遅おくれてしまった。

   After getting lost, I ended up missing the last train.

4. 何時間なんじかんも待またされたあげく、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしになった。

   After we were kept waiting for hours, the game was canceled.

When to use it

Describes a result that comes after a long, troublesome or frustrating process, and the result is usually bad or disappointing. For example, さんざん迷まよったあげく、何なにも買かわなかった means "after going back and forth for ages, I didn't buy anything." あげくの果はてに is a stronger form meaning "and to top it all off."

Nuance

The result is usually negative, unwanted or surprising, and the process before it is tiring. Used in both speech and writing, often with a feeling of frustration. The second clause states a fact, so it cannot be a wish, request or plan.

Compare

末すえに also means "after a long process," but the result is neutral or positive: 話はなし合あった末すえに合意ごういした. あげく adds a bad or annoying result: 言いい争あらそったあげく、別わかれてしまった. 結果けっか is neutral and has no sense of a long struggle.

Tip: Ask yourself: "Was it a hassle that ended badly?" If yes, use あげく. If it ended well, use 末すえに.