1
as in to finish
to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done
we're still finalizing our travel plans but hope to have them done by the end of the week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the bank won't finalize the loan before Tuesday because of the holiday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 finalize
Ahead of the official premiere, two qualifying episodes aired in February to finalize the bracket.
—
Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Parker said that the decision was not made lightly, but wrestlers told CBS LA that they weren't given a voice before finding out that the verdict was already finalized.
—Zach Boetto, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
That set of smart reforms was finalized in 2023.
—Mark Wilson, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026
Those conferences are important to laying the foundation for a player’s value, so the Giants’ free-agency plan likely won’t be finalized until Harbaugh and the front office meet next week after returning home.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for finalize
Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Parker said that the decision was not made lightly, but wrestlers told CBS LA that they weren't given a voice before finding out that the verdict was already finalized.
—Zach Boetto, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
That set of smart reforms was finalized in 2023.
—Mark Wilson, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026
Those conferences are important to laying the foundation for a player’s value, so the Giants’ free-agency plan likely won’t be finalized until Harbaugh and the front office meet next week after returning home.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for finalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finalize
Verb
-
Before the final game of the 2022 season, manager Alex Cora said the outfielder’s name before a reporter could even finish asking which of his players most needed to take a leap forward the following year.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
2 Mar. 2026
-
An electric current charged the air as two puzzlers raced to finish first.—
Lia Picard,
AJC.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The medications — including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound — are approved for diabetes and obesity, and are used by millions of Americans.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Only 1 in 4 Americans approve of the strikes on Iran that killed the country's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey published on March 2.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While each transition had been seen independently in past experiments, researchers had never captured both in succession, completing the theoretical picture.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Orlando City went down a man in the 88th minute when Colin Guske was handed a second yellow card for a foul on Messi, who two minutes later scored the fourth Miami goal, burying his free kick to complete the brace.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
It has been fully ratified, but not signed into the Constitution.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
In July 2024, the Duke University Press Workers Union ratified its first contract with the school, and almost a year later, in September 2025, the Duke Graduate Student Union followed suit, securing a historic contract of its own.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fed officials in their latest economic projections from December estimated just one rate cut for 2026, but investors widely expect Warsh to push for more if he’s confirmed by the Senate to succeed Chair Jerome Powell in May when his term at the helm of the central bank ends.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
-
That demonstration confirmed the drone could operate from naval platforms without traditional runways.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finalize. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
