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
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Recent Examples of finalize
Though Monday’s meeting resulted in political agreement, the EU still has to settle on which organizations and individuals will be hit with sanctions, and a committee will finalize the draft list.
—
Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Daniel and Kolkena, meanwhile, married on April 22, 1989, less than three months after the divorce was finalized.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Though they are not yet officially divorced, the two finalized their custody agreement on March 10, 2026, and agreed to share joint legal and physical custody of Cruz.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
While sources say the administration and TikTok are finalizing the terms of the settlement, it must still be approved by a vote of the TikTok board, which is expected to take place as soon as Friday.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for finalize
Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Daniel and Kolkena, meanwhile, married on April 22, 1989, less than three months after the divorce was finalized.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Though they are not yet officially divorced, the two finalized their custody agreement on March 10, 2026, and agreed to share joint legal and physical custody of Cruz.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
While sources say the administration and TikTok are finalizing the terms of the settlement, it must still be approved by a vote of the TikTok board, which is expected to take place as soon as Friday.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for finalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finalize
Verb
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Northwestern recruit Nolan Ramoley went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Brother Rice (21-9, 11-2), while Purdue Northwest commit Treylan Webster finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
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Denver finished 12-2 that season, reaching its first playoff game since the franchise’s founding.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The La Mesa City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve the ordinance.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
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After first applying for resettlement in Jordan, in 2004, the family was finally approved to move to Kentucky, in February, 2025.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The Hoosiers’ win completed one of the greatest turnaround stories in sports history.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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The first phase of Founder’s Square, including 70 apartments, was completed in the town center at 50 Broad St, McMahon said.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Framework fell into place last month on changes meant to further discourage tanking, and the league’s Board of Governors is expected to ratify that plan in the next few weeks — with general managers meeting in Chicago on Tuesday to discuss them presumably for one last time.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Seventy-seven union members voted to ratify the three-year deal, while 6 members voted not to ratify.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Barnes confirmed the nonprofit covered production costs, though did not specify what those amounted to.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
12 May 2026
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The children's autopsies could not confirm or rule out death from drowning because the cause was difficult to determine, according to Fox 26 Houston and Click2 Houston.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finalize. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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