finally

adverb

fi·​nal·​ly ˈfī-nᵊl-ē 

ˈfīn-lē

1

: after a prolonged time : at the end of period of time

Two hours later, the train finally arrived.

He finally got around to calling.

I'm so happy to finally meet you!

It finally dawned on me what she'd meant.

2

a

: as the last act or occurrence in a series : in the end : eventually

After many attempts, they finally gave up.

"My career meandered all over the place and I finally settled on comedic acting. …"

—Cassandra Peterson

"He listened to the whole thing, very attentive, and finally he turned to the doctor and he said, 'I have a question.'"

—Russell Newman

b

: by way of conclusion : as the last point

… Finally, I'd like to thank the fans for their great support …

—Joe Girardi, quoted in New York Post

c

: in the end : ultimately

What finally matters is whether you're likely to drink enough of the organisms to make you sick.

—Peter Jaret

3

old-fashioned : in a final manner : in a way that does not allow change

I have reason for asking this question which you have answered so finally.

—Willa Cather

She said it so finally … that Mr. Pumblechook … could not protest.

—Charles Dickens

… the power to decide finally and conclusively upon all motions made in the course of legislative proceedings …

—John G. Carlisle

Synonyms of finally

• eventually
• someday

Examples of finally in a Sentence

we're making steady progress and may finally finish this project

Recent Examples on the Web

But the patriots’ real breakthrough came in 1778 and 1779, when the fleets of France and Spain finally joined this contest. —Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025

Mexico enters the 2026 World Cup with the excitement and pressure of co-hosting the tournament, eager to finally break its long-standing barrier of reaching the Round of 16. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

And, finally, from an economics point of view, researchers found that among all subjects medication costs decreased by 77%. —Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Nov. 2025

Their pursuit of the truth finally delivered. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing finally

• the/his chickens are (finally) coming home to roost