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finish

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb finish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of finish are close, complete, conclude, end, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When would close be a good substitute for finish?

The words close and finish can be used in similar contexts, but close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When can complete be used instead of finish?

The synonyms complete and finish are sometimes interchangeable, but complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

Where would conclude be a reasonable alternative to finish?

The meanings of conclude and finish largely overlap; however, conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

When could end be used to replace finish?

Although the words end and finish have much in common, end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

In what contexts can terminate take the place of finish?

The words terminate and finish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

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 finish
Verb
The Tour de France finished up Stage 16 on Tuesday with Valentin Paret-Peintre etching his name into the Tour, scooping up a victory in an emotional sprint to the finish. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025 The updates — which are being completed by the National Park Service and funded by the Trust for the National Mall — are expected to be finished by mid-August 2025. Meredith Kile, People.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
My mom’s house is the epitome of modern farmhouse design with its distressed finishes, rustic textures, and neutral palette. Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 24 July 2025 Both races will begin at Harbor Point’s Central Plaza and finish near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, where past editions of the men’s race have drawn tens of thousands of spectators. Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for finish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finish
Verb
  • Wilson shined with the first team, completing more than half his passes and racking up a handful of touchdowns.
    Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
  • Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre A two-tone Diamond Black and Qingshan Blue Black Badge Spectre completes the commissions.
    Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Last year, Kennedy ended his independent bid for president during an Arizona visit and endorsed President Donald Trump.
    Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025
  • Her contract, which took effect Jan. 1, 2024, and ends June 30, 2026, includes annual compensation of $357,000.
    Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Shortly after Braun’s executive order, the Indiana Department of Health told local health departments to stop accepting requests to change genders on birth certificates.
    Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 24 July 2025
  • Break it up by stopping at the St. Regis Travel Center in St. Regis, Montana, for a huckleberry milkshake.
    Sal Vaglica, USA Today, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • Kids will enjoy the goat’s antics and the sweet surprise ending, and those of us who sometimes share Ada’s dreams will appreciate the reminder that a little chaos can be good for the soul.
    Caroline Carlson August 1, Literary Hub, 1 Aug. 2025
  • After the film was released on Aug. 1, many fans noticed that the film's ending is different from the book's.
    Caroline Blair, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The point is that in those cases, the players’ unions had the power to bring the whole sport to a halt.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 29 July 2025
  • For businesses, this means operations don’t come to a halt.
    Kwabena Osei-Sarpong, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • At a two-day meeting that concludes Wednesday, the Fed is widely expected to hold its key interest rate steady despite President Donald Trump’s monthslong campaign aimed at browbeating Fed Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues into cutting rates.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 28 July 2025
  • Metallica is slated to kick off their 2026 M72 World Tour in the late spring, which will conclude in the early summer on July 5th, 2026.
    Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Verb
  • This week, Alina Habba, who was among Trump’s most notoriously combative criminal defense lawyers, is a likely casualty: Judges in New Jersey are nearly certain to nix any extension of her expiring interim term as the district’s U.S. attorney.
    Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 21 July 2025
  • Third-quarter sales may spike before federal tax credit expires (Cox Automotive) GM to make lower-cost battery cells at Tennessee plant.
    Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • Regulators should consider fast-tracking reviews for critical infrastructure projects, and assess potential regulatory impacts at the conclusion of key research and technology development projects.
    Deborah Wince-Smith, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
  • Even on a day like Thursday, at the conclusion of a long and humid Carolina Panthers training camp practice, when he was approached by a reporter and didn’t even need to hear the first full question before knowing what he’d be asked to talk about.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Finish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finish. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

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