finalize
verb
fi·nal·ize
ˈfī-nə-ˌlīz 
finalized; finalizing
1
: to put in final or finished form
soon my conclusion will be finalized—
D. D. Eisenhower
D. D. Eisenhower2
: to give final approval to
finalizing the papers prepared … by his staff—Newsweek
Newsweek
Usage of Finalize
Finalize has been frequently castigated as an unnecessary neologism or as U.S. government gobbledygook. It appears to have first gained currency in Australia (where it has been acceptable all along) in the early 1920s. The U.S. Navy picked it up in the late 20s, and from there it came into widespread use. It is a standard formation (see -ize). Currently, it is most frequently used in government and business dealings; it usually is not found in belles-lettres.
Examples of finalize in a Sentence
They are finalizing their divorce this week.
We bought our tickets and finalized our vacation plans.
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2021 the two sides finalized the current 10-year deal, which included cash and equity.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Tarek was previously married to fellow HGTV star Christina Haack for seven years before their divorce was finalized in 2018.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
More acreage has been added to the park’s footprint since then, including a decade ago when the city finalized a purchase of 568 acres adjacent to the park in one of the largest parkland acquisitions in the city’s history.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Mytheresa’s deal to acquire Yoox Net-a-porter from Compagnie Financière Richemont was finalized in April, at which point the new, more diversified entity was renamed LuxExperience.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finalize
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Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Tarek was previously married to fellow HGTV star Christina Haack for seven years before their divorce was finalized in 2018.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
More acreage has been added to the park’s footprint since then, including a decade ago when the city finalized a purchase of 568 acres adjacent to the park in one of the largest parkland acquisitions in the city’s history.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Mytheresa’s deal to acquire Yoox Net-a-porter from Compagnie Financière Richemont was finalized in April, at which point the new, more diversified entity was renamed LuxExperience.
—Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finalize
Cite this Entry
“Finalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finalize. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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