final 1 of 2

Definition of finalnext

final

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective final contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of final are last, terminal, and ultimate. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

When would last be a good substitute for final?

The meanings of last and final largely overlap; however, last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped.

last page of a book
last news we had of him

When is it sensible to use terminal instead of final?

While in some cases nearly identical to final, terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

When is ultimate a more appropriate choice than final?

The synonyms ultimate and final are sometimes interchangeable, but ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible.

the ultimate collapse of the system

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of final
Adjective
The Scots fell to Benjamin in the state final last season. Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 2 May 2026 And for the Best Visual Effects category, all Academy members must view the three-minute Before and After reels from the Visual Effects Bake-Off to be eligible to vote in the final round. Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 1 May 2026
Noun
Villa could also be four days removed from winning (or at minimum playing in) the Europa League final, with all the emotion and celebrations/painful disappointment that would entail. Mark Carey, New York Times, 1 May 2026 The leadership group, including Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak, who had gone as far as Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in 2019, spoke to the team before the series. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for final
Recent Examples of Synonyms for final
Adjective
  • Charlie Kirk took off as a meme shortly after he was killed, last September, during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Sad memories of last year — when Wooten lost a tiebreaker in her state championship singles match to hand Palmetto the title — are all but erased.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Regulations require certain size hallways, for example, and heavy robotic equipment may need extra floor support and special elevators.
    Suzanne King, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
  • Recent polling suggests that roughly 30% of young Americans hold the view that political violence can be justified in certain circumstances.
    Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • Foremost for Nelson, a softball recruit for Columbia in New York, likely would be leading the Green Wave to a second straight regional title and advancing further than last year’s sectional semifinal.
    Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • English clubs have met in the final twice but this is the first all-English semifinal since 1973 when Liverpool eliminated Tottenham in the UEFA Cup, the previous version of the Europa League.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In the second experiment, 22 participants completed a version of the side-stepping test designed to capture the acceleration of different body segments.
    Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
  • After a test launch in Jacksonville and Orlando, Winn-Dixie expanded its same-day Amazon delivery partnership to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, is in critical but stable condition at a hospital, his spokesman said Sunday.
    Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
  • Rob Carr / Getty Images Before starting her stable, DeVaux climbed her way up the ranks, beginning as a stable worker for the late Chuck Simon before becoming an assistant trainer for Chad Brown.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Bote defeated Miami Immaculata-LaSalle junior Lorenzo Lopez 6-1, 6-2 for the overall singles crown and teamed with Wheat to win the overall doubles championship, 6-4, 6-1 over Naples Community School.
    Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 2 May 2026
  • The individual athletes will earn points for there teams within each event with the most points winning the championship at the final event in New Orleans.
    Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • The other still asks for legal status because people could ask for help with other medical expenses beyond the exam, according to Berg, the industrial commission spokesperson.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Apr. 2026
  • All of the animals underwent an exam by a veterinarian Thursday, Gomez said.
    Alicia Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Final.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/final. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

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