finalist

noun

Definition of finalistnext
1
as in champion

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2
as in semifinalist

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Dissimilar Words

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 finalist The event will feature a five-course prix fixe meal with a menu created by James Beard award finalist and the first-ever indigenous contestant on the cooking program Chopped Chef Crystal Wahpepah of Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Finalist after finalist and champion after champion are from Indian and Chinese immigrant families. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 Reinhart is a one-time Selke finalist who has scored at least 29 goals in each of his five seasons with the Panthers. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026 Cook says that being named a finalist in the competition fueled his drive to pursue his passion as a career. — Anya Steinberg, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for finalist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finalist
  1. champion
  2. semifinalist
  3. champ
  4. placer
  5. winner
  6. conqueror
Noun
  • Under the direction of second-year skipper Will Venable and with a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The bronze statue was dedicated in May 2008, fittingly during the month of the Kentucky Derby, to honor the Golden State’s first Derby champion.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of champion
Noun
  • Drastic Measures was a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar in 2024 and 2026 and advanced to finalist in 2023 in the same category, and Sanders in 2025 was a semifinalist in a new category, Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service, for Wild Child.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Crooked Ram At The Crooked Ram, 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist chef Tiara Adorno turns Vermont and New England ingredients into a menu that changes with the seasons, alongside a strong lineup of natural wines, craft beers, and cocktails.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of semifinalist
Noun
  • Still, Indiana fought hard to save their season against the reigning champs, headlined by Clark's raw grit.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Since 2001, 16 different franchises have won the World Series—that’s more than half the league, and more than the number of unique NHL champs (14), NFL champs (13) and NBA champs (13) in that span.
    — Molly Geary, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of champ
Noun
  • Most of the early mining there consisted of placer mining — extracting minerals from sand and gravel in river beds — and mining declined during the Civil War.
    — John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 July 2026
  • Its breakout star is Parker Schnabel, a thirty-one-year-old who runs a placer mine in the Yukon that brought in fifty-one million dollars last year.
    — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Definition of placer
Noun
  • Its winner, whether filmmaker or rights holder, will give the platform an exclusive license to show the film for a limited period.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Take a resident who voted for only one of the 10 winners but for two of the slate’s three candidates.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of winner
Noun
  • Located at the junction of three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—the region has historically been a crossroads for conquerors, peoples, trade, and ideas.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In life, and in the novel, the German conquerors in their splendid uniforms make debonair remarks, as the French cultural and social figures who frequent the bar—collaborators—are thrilled to remain close to power.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of conqueror

Browse Nearby Words

finales
finalist
finalists
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Cite this Entry

“Finalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finalist. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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