finally

adverb

fi·​nal·​ly ˈfī-nᵊl-ē How to pronounce finally (audio)
ˈfīn-lē
1
: after a prolonged time : at the end of period of time
Two hours later, the train finally arrived.
He finally got around to calling.
I'm so happy to finally meet you!
It finally dawned on me what she'd meant.
2
a
: as the last act or occurrence in a series : in the end : eventually
After many attempts, they finally gave up.
"My career meandered all over the place and I finally settled on comedic acting. …"Cassandra Peterson
"He listened to the whole thing, very attentive, and finally he turned to the doctor and he said, 'I have a question.'"Russell Newman
b
: by way of conclusion : as the last point
"… Finally, I'd like to thank the fans for their great support …"Joe Girardi
c
: in the end : ultimately
What finally matters is whether you're likely to drink enough of the organisms to make you sick.Peter Jaret
3
old-fashioned : in a final manner : in a way that does not allow change
I have reason for asking this question which you have answered so finally.Willa Cather
She said it so finally … that Mr. Pumblechook … could not protest.Charles Dickens
… the power to decide finally and conclusively upon all motions made in the course of legislative proceedings …John G. Carlisle

Examples of finally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The timing couldn’t be worse: Her beloved grandmother on the East Coast is dying and her husband’s acting career is finally taking off. Jim Ruland, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Demus and Kynard are expected to finally receive their medals this summer during the Paris Olympics, according to officials at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. Jeré Longman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 With effective debt relief, the livelihood of our passions might finally be revived. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, Regina King, who won the Oscar in 2019 for If Beale Street Could Talk and spoke about Danielle Brooks’s performance in The Color Purple, is finally leading a film, the upcoming Shirley Chisholm biopic. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 When, at Flynn’s insistence, a one-on-one finally does occur, something like the truth starts to emerge just as the dance of formality fades. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The experience gave them to opportunity to finally spend an extended period of time together, igniting a close friendship. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 The amount would rise over each of the following school years by up to an additional $51 million, then $47 million, and finally another $14 million in the 2027-28 school year. Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 Joey Graziadei finally put an end to the mystery that left many fans puzzled as to why his eyes are yellow. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'finally.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of finally was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near finally

Cite this Entry

“Finally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finally. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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