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final

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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 round of 16 and beyond is seeded, meaning the teams who finish first and second in the league phase cannot meet until the final. Jack Bantock, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025 But those spectating at the Cincinnati Open final on Monday saw only five games played between the two men’s singles juggernauts, as Sinner retired from the match with an apparent illness. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
Albin gave second-string quarterback Grayson Loftis the 49ers’ final two drives. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025 Anthony Ordonez was introduced to Franklin & Bash in its fourth and final season as investigator Dan Mundy. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for final
Recent Examples of Synonyms for final
Adjective
  • One of the newer groups in this sector, known as the Carbon Mapper Coalition, launched its first small satellite last year.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Worthy was the Chiefs’ leading wide receiver last year as a rookie.
    Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • One of the charming aspects of following foreign football is realising that certain concepts are expressed in different ways to how it’s done in your own country.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Since 2012, certain players and games are forever etched in the memories of those who watched.
    Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Anisimova mounted a comeback in her semifinal, defeating Naomi Osaka (23) in a nail-biting match that stretched past midnight.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The American has won six of the pair’s nine meetings, most recently a dramatic semifinal at Wimbledon in July.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • SpaceX is seeking regulatory approval to commence conducting Starship flight tests at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
  • The larger one benchmarks between the o3 and o4-mini proprietary models in most tests, with the smaller version running just a little behind.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2025
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
  • Although season ticket prices have continued to rise, there is a sense the club has acted sensibly around them and the goodwill generated between the fans and KSE has remained stable.
    Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
  • All of these efforts stemmed from the belief that democratic societies based on free markets would create politically stable and prosperous societies.
    Time, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Alcaraz and Sinner have combined for the last seven major championships and nine of the last 12.
    Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Because Gateway cousin track New Hampshire kicks off the next round, and another cousin track, Phoenix, decides the championship.
    Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The medical camps offer free clinical breast exams, private consultations with female doctors, and sometimes medication for other health issues uncovered during the visit.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Doctors may soon be able to detect Alzheimer’s disease long before memory loss sets in—using something as simple as a routine eye exam.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Final.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/final. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.

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