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

Can Justin Herbert finally break through in the postseason? —Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026

Others in the crowd, including rapper Snoop Dogg, watched quietly as the star skier was finally taken off the course. —Andrew Dampf, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026

After 35 rounds of radiation and painful robotic surgery on his tongue, Coulier can finally begin to recover from his cancer battle. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026

The Seattle Seahawks can finally settle a Super Bowl score with the New England Patriots, who snatched the Lombardi Trophy out of their beaks almost dozen years ago with one the most dramatic defensive stands in pro football history. —David K. Li, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026

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