finishing school

noun

Definition of finishing school

: a private school for girls that emphasizes cultural studies and prepares students especially for social activities

Examples of finishing school in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Those things are finishing school, traveling, and figuring out her career. — Lia Beck, refinery29.com, "The Bachelor Season 25, Episode 7 Recap: Bye Bye Bye," 15 Feb. 2021 Everyone else my age was either finishing school or was out here in Hollywood going to parties. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "James Charles Speaks Out Against Rumors That He's Only Friends with Charli D'Amelio "For Clout"," 22 Jan. 2021 Did Berry Gordy put you through Motown finishing school? — Seth Abramovitch, Billboard, "The Supremes at 60: Mary Wilson Says Reunion 'Up to Diana Ross'," 18 Jan. 2021 The heroine’s mother, Eunice ( Erica Gimpel ), presides over a Harlem finishing school that prepares proper little girls for cotillion. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Sylvie’s Love’ Review: Lush Movie Life Reimagined," 23 Dec. 2020 For all its lovely touches, however, this was no finishing school for debutantes. — Jamie Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, "Why Eleanor Roosevelt’s Example Matters More Than Ever," 5 Oct. 2020 When Eudoria mysteriously disappears, her sons Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) arrange for Enola to be sent to finishing school, but their sister has other ideas. — Mary Sollosi, EW.com, "Helena Bonham Carter talks putting a twist on a classic with Enola Holmes," 23 Sep. 2020 After finishing school in February of 1931, Donoghue went home to New York. — Dana Hunsinger Benbow, The Indianapolis Star, "His dad was Knute Rockne's last equipment manager, he left letters from Notre Dame coach," 23 Sep. 2020 Sherlock explains to her the ways a finishing school education could be of use in her detective work, and her headmistress reminds her that the fiercely independent Mrs. Holmes got married, too. — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, "Enola Holmes Is Unlike Any Sherlock Story You've Seen Before—And That's a Good Thing," 23 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finishing school.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

24 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Finishing school.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finishing%20school. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.

Style: MLA

MLA