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terminal

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective terminal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of terminal are final, last, and ultimate. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

When would final be a good substitute for terminal?

In some situations, the words final and terminal are roughly equivalent. However, final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

When is it sensible to use last instead of terminal?

The meanings of last and terminal largely overlap; however, last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped.

last page of a book
last news we had of him

Where would ultimate be a reasonable alternative to terminal?

The words ultimate and terminal can be used in similar contexts, but ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible.

the ultimate collapse of the system

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 terminal
Adjective
But the speeds achievable, Wang says, represent trade-offs among a number of parameters including terminal size, power usage, and data rate. IEEE Spectrum, 12 May 2025 Robin Xing, chief China economist at Morgan Stanley, projects that effective U.S. tariff rates on Chinese goods could be lowered from the current 107% to a terminal rate of 45% by year-end. Anniek Bao,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 May 2025
Noun
Another 1,500 workers had begun constructing a marine terminal in Brooklyn. Brad Plumer, New York Times, 20 May 2025 On Sunday evening, as news of the agreement broke, hundreds of commuters lined up at bus terminals in the Port Authority, waiting for buses into New Jersey. Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for terminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terminal
Adjective
  • The pieces are easy for little fingers to manipulate, and the final project is delightful—an archery set that shoots little balls at a target!
    Adrienne So, Wired News, 17 May 2025
  • From there, Jin narrowed down the final count to seven songs, each exploring themes of love and connection.
    Olivia Munson, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Oscar Franklin Smith is set to be executed by lethal injection for the 1989 murder of his estranged wife, 35-year-old Judith Robirds Smith, and her sons.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • The last electrocution was in 1990, the method has been lethal injection since that time.
    Ray Hanley, Arkansas Online, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • The depot, located near a key highway between Simferopol and Alushta on the occupied peninsula, housed military equipment, ammunition and fuel storage facilities.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
  • Immediately, Israel moved to destroy Syrian air force bases, military aircraft, and missile depots; bolstered its border defenses; and took over the UN’s 145-square-mile buffer zone.
    Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • Drone video shows tornadoes' damage in Kentucky morning after deadly storms 01:30 4.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, Russia is making steady gains in Ukraine, and Putin is preparing a summer offensive that could be the deadliest of the war so far, an expert has assessed.
    Isabel van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Derrick Groves, convicted last year for second-degree murder, remains on the loose and has led two prosecutors to flee the state for fear of reprisals.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 May 2025
  • If one looks at government yields since the end of last year, a different picture emerges.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • From cold cases cracked decades later to trials still underway, here are 18 fatal crimes that occurred at colleges and universities.
    Corin Cesaric, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • Saturday’s crash in Brooklyn was the second fatal hit-and-run in the borough in a week, cops said.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • During a recent morning rehearsal the two laughed often and the result was infectious.
    Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
  • Being outdoors exposes them to several risks, including catching diseases such as herpes viral conjunctivitis, feline AIDS, leukemia, and infectious peritonitis, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Terminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terminal. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

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