finality

noun

fi·​nal·​i·​ty fī-ˈna-lə-tē 

fə-

plural finalities

1

a

: the character or condition of being final, settled, irrevocable, or complete

b

: the condition of being at an ultimate point especially of development or authority

2

: something final

especially : a fundamental fact, action, or belief

Examples of finality in a Sentence

“It won't work,” he said, with an air of finality.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ownership can change during clearing, but finality arrives only with settlement. —Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

A little lower down, the government also says that investigators had concluded with finality that Epstein died by suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on Aug. 10, 2019. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025

But her darkness is unserious, just as her violence is, essentially, comic — pratfalls and slapstick done with drop-dead finality. —Armond White, National Review, 11 June 2025

Early blockchains struggled to offer all three—particularly due to volatile native tokens and latency in settlement finality. —Geoff Ira, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French finalité, from final final entry 1 + -ité -ity

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for finality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• formality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality

Kids Definition

finality

noun

fi·​nal·​i·​ty fī-ˈnal-ət-ē 

fə-

plural finalities

1

: the character or state of being final, settled, or complete

2

: something final

Legal Definition

finality

noun

fi·​nal·​i·​ty fī-ˈna-lə-tē, fə- 

1

: the state or condition of being final

2

: the principle that appeals may only be taken from final orders or judgments