1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

grand finale

noun

Definition of grand finalenext
as in ending
the last part of a process or action the award for best picture is traditionally the evening's grand finale

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 grand finale This year’s festivities begin on October 21 and build toward the grand finale, the Seafood Slam, on October 24. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2026 For the grand finale of her tropical celebration, the Academy Award-winning actress went braless in a head-turning satin slip dress while enjoying the sunset on the sand. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026 Building to a grand finale, the footage showcases high-scale visual effects, mythological weaponry, and massive army battles as Rama vows to defeat Ravana across the three worlds and rescue Sita, signaling the start of the era of Rama. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026 The grand finale performances of the 2026 edition of the World Cup follows the opening ceremonies and performances from the likes of Katy Perry and Tyla, among others, which took place in June. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grand finale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grand finale
  1. ending
  2. conclusion
  3. finale
  4. end
  5. culmination
  6. closing
Noun
  • So, while the model maintains a steady flow of minidresses (spanning her modish orange number from Oddli to a piece of beige Valentino vintage), summer is, in fact, ending.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
  • In non-linear lyric forms, the following collections braid love’s ruthless endings with its tenderest beginnings.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of ending
Noun
  • That didn’t stop more controversy from falling on the conference’s doorstep Saturday night, when one more play produced a conclusion that will likely be talked about for decades.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • That’s the conclusion the two seem to have come to, especially after the fireman Rosie has her current hopes pinned on asks her out to a fancy dinner date, only to stand her up.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of conclusion
Noun
  • For observers at mid-northern latitudes, the finale is especially low to the horizon.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • And not even a strong Campbell performance and killer kills could make up for a sad use of AI and the least effective finale twist reveal to date.
    — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of finale
Noun
  • But Vicki’s insufferable attitude is nothing compared to Lisa’s selfishness by the end of the episode.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Underwood went 12-of-22 passing for 170 yards and gifted Western Michigan 3 points at the end of the first half.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of end
Noun
  • The voting is supposed to be the culmination of their work and ensure that a consensus has been reached.
    — Esther King, The Dial, 15 Sep. 2026
  • His dismissal wasn’t so much the result of one outburst or misstep, the person told The Times, but the culmination of a season’s worth of issues that boiled over in the wake of the Nebraska loss.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of culmination
Noun
  • Young actor Jung is also terrific, as a boy who perhaps understands more than his parents give him credit for, something hinted at in a closing reveal.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The sound of the transfer window closing always brings a certain relief.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of closing

Browse Nearby Words

grandfathers
grand finale
grand finales
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grand finale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grand%20finale. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of volition

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All