finalist

noun

fi·​nal·​ist ˈfī-nə-list 

: a contestant in a competition finals

Examples of finalist in a Sentence

They interviewed all of the finalists before making a decision.

a finalist in the tennis tournament

Recent Examples on the Web

In the course of his career, Rock has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts, and was named a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the John Dos Passos Prize. — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

And they each were named Gold Glove finalists at the end of the season. — Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

Miami, last season’s losing finalist in the CFP, is the consensus seventh team in the odds. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Adidas The German sportswear giant carried a halo from this summer’s World Cup, serving as an official FIFA sponsor and the outfitter for both finalists, Spain and Argentina. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

final entry 1 + -ist entry 1

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

finalist

noun

fi·​nal·​ist ˈfīn-ᵊl-əst 

: a contestant in the finals of a competition