1
as in completes
to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done
we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ends
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point
we'll finish the concert before dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stops
to come to an end
the three-day race finished yesterday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in endings
the last part of a process or action
a pie-eating contest is the fair's traditional finish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in halts
the stopping of a process or activity
an all-out fight right to the finish
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 finishes
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Elsewhere, Dana finishes up with Ilana’s exam.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Auburn finishes its regular season slate with a trip to Arkansas on Sunday.
—ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Sliced green olives add a complementary brininess, and a sprinkle of parsley finishes the dish with grassy freshness.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Keller finishes the season 25-8 and made the regional semifinals for the first time since 2023.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2026
The 37-year-old Bjoergen is the only Olympian to win five medals at these Games and finishes her career with 15 medals.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Premium interior finishes such Nappa leather with contrast piping are standard on upper trims; leatherette is standard on the entry model.
—Scotty Reiss, Parents, 24 Feb. 2026
The Marauders got second place at 138 thanks to senior Manuel Garcia, a third-place finisher at 132 with senior Ryan Talon-Kelly, fifth place for Mathew Salas at 120, and ninth-place finishes from Mason McDonald (126), Anthony Guzman (106), and Daniel O’Brien (190) and John Kelly (215).
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2026
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 27 Feb. 2026
In this collection, different shades of brown are thoughtfully curated, ranging from lighter tones that look light and airy to dark brown finishes that look refined.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
In 2026, sheer nail trends are stepping back into the spotlight–from milky finishes to delicate pinks that give your natural nail a polished glow.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Natural materials and textures Hardscape surfaces are moving away from bright, smooth finishes toward materials with more variation and depth.
—Kelley Bruss, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Frosty pink finishes are coming for every beauty trend this spring.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 26 Feb. 2026
It’s crafted from high-quality genuine leather, with a soft satin lining, and high-grade silver finishes.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
The interior has lots of natural light and organic elements, like light wood finishes and ample greenery.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
The acetic acid can strip protective finishes or cause pitting or corrosion.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Karaban finishes his career with a 60-6 record at home, 31-1 in Hartford, and 29-5 on campus.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Elsewhere, Dana finishes up with Ilana’s exam.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Auburn finishes its regular season slate with a trip to Arkansas on Sunday.
—ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Sliced green olives add a complementary brininess, and a sprinkle of parsley finishes the dish with grassy freshness.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Keller finishes the season 25-8 and made the regional semifinals for the first time since 2023.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2026
The 37-year-old Bjoergen is the only Olympian to win five medals at these Games and finishes her career with 15 medals.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Premium interior finishes such Nappa leather with contrast piping are standard on upper trims; leatherette is standard on the entry model.
—Scotty Reiss, Parents, 24 Feb. 2026
The Marauders got second place at 138 thanks to senior Manuel Garcia, a third-place finisher at 132 with senior Ryan Talon-Kelly, fifth place for Mathew Salas at 120, and ninth-place finishes from Mason McDonald (126), Anthony Guzman (106), and Daniel O’Brien (190) and John Kelly (215).
—Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
The digital pressure cookers have a six-quart capacity, stainless steel and black plastic finishes, a pressure lid, a digital temperature and function display, and button controls.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 27 Feb. 2026
In this collection, different shades of brown are thoughtfully curated, ranging from lighter tones that look light and airy to dark brown finishes that look refined.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
In 2026, sheer nail trends are stepping back into the spotlight–from milky finishes to delicate pinks that give your natural nail a polished glow.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Natural materials and textures Hardscape surfaces are moving away from bright, smooth finishes toward materials with more variation and depth.
—Kelley Bruss, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Frosty pink finishes are coming for every beauty trend this spring.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 26 Feb. 2026
It’s crafted from high-quality genuine leather, with a soft satin lining, and high-grade silver finishes.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
The interior has lots of natural light and organic elements, like light wood finishes and ample greenery.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
The acetic acid can strip protective finishes or cause pitting or corrosion.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finishes
Verb
-
After a child completes a screening, the coordinator can create a personalized literacy plan that highlights the areas that need more practice.—
MAKIYA SEMINERA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
-
After a child completes a screening, the coordinator can create a personalized literacy plan that highlights the areas that need more practice.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The settlement ends litigation between Novartis, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, and the estate of Lacks, a mother who died of cervical cancer at age 31 and was buried in an unmarked grave.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
When total lunar eclipses return The drought finally ends at the close of 2028, when the slow westward drift of the moon's orbital nodes brings full moons back into deeper alignment with Earth's shadow.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From The Dean, everything is either walkable, a few stops away on the central tram line, or a short, affordable taxi ride—which is the Dubliner’s choice for quick transport.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The perfect partner for the Spray-To-Wipe is the new All Over Deodorant, a whole-body natural deodorant that genuinely stops you from smelling.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Take a closer look at the United States women’s hockey team’s comeback victory against Canada, which will go down as one of the most exhilarating endings in Olympic history.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Whereas a total solar eclipse is often associated with clean breaks or definitive endings, an annular eclipse often points to processes that unfold in stages.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The abrupt disruption resulted in chip shortages and production halts at several automakers.—
Sarah Jacob,
Bloomberg,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Conflict in Yemen has prompted air traffic halts — leaving about 600 tourists stranded on a remote island.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Having flown with the team Monday for Tuesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the start of a trip that concludes Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, the fourth-year forward returned to Miami on Tuesday due to what the team is listing as low-back tightness.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Those decisions are expected by the end of June when the court’s term concludes, but could come as soon as this week when the justices release more decisions on Tuesday and Wednesday.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Once it is approved, the authorization is valid for two years or until a traveler’s passport expires if that occurs first.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Currently, nonrenewal notices must be sent at least 75 days before the policy expires.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the same disclaimer, TechInsights notes that its inferences and conclusions are not final regulatory decisions.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Mark Thompson, the network’s current chairman, warned staff not to jump to conclusions, but many quickly did.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finishes. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
