as in endings
the last part of a process or action
the finale to the festivities was a grand display of fireworks
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Recent Examples of finales
Thirty-six of those series reached a Game 7, with the 3-1 team posting a 23-13 record in the finales.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
The Royals, meanwhile, fell to 34-24 in series finales dating to the 2025 season.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Add the memorable cliffhanger, and Nemesis is one of Stargate's strongest finales.
—Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
The Nets, who went 26-56 last season, have lost four consecutive season finales.
—CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Both shows are currently airing new seasons on ABC, with both slated to air their respective season finales in early May.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Some of this positioning has come from their fellow players; finales for the first 40 seasons were packed with bitter jurors who often saved their meanest digs for the women finalists.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
The finales begin April 7 with the season’s last High Potential case and run through May 15 with the final answer and question on Celebrity Jeopardy!
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
So Hannah Montana lands firmly in the top tier of Disney Channel finales without claiming the top spot.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
The Royals, meanwhile, fell to 34-24 in series finales dating to the 2025 season.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Add the memorable cliffhanger, and Nemesis is one of Stargate's strongest finales.
—Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
The Nets, who went 26-56 last season, have lost four consecutive season finales.
—CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Both shows are currently airing new seasons on ABC, with both slated to air their respective season finales in early May.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Some of this positioning has come from their fellow players; finales for the first 40 seasons were packed with bitter jurors who often saved their meanest digs for the women finalists.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
The finales begin April 7 with the season’s last High Potential case and run through May 15 with the final answer and question on Celebrity Jeopardy!
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
So Hannah Montana lands firmly in the top tier of Disney Channel finales without claiming the top spot.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finales
Noun
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In sports, especially, where career timelines are often compressed, the difference between abrupt endings and seamless transitions usually comes down to this kind of enterprise mindset.—
Sandra Richards,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
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This planet strips away illusions, forcing transformation through endings, intensity and uncomfortable truths.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Baldoni’s extensive filing also made its way online, with court documents available for internet sleuths to pick through and draw their own conclusions.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
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The chatbots then walked back some of their original conclusions, with Claude specifically noting that its original planning horizon was too short.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Full moons are culminations — don’t forget to pause and see what’s already come full circle before rushing into more.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Finales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finales. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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