finish

1 of 2

verb

fin·ish ˈfi-nish

finished; finishing; finishes

Synonyms of finish next

intransitive verb

: to come to an end : terminate

The meeting finished at noon.

: end sense 1b

: to come to the end of a course, task, or undertaking

I shall finish with a Chopin nocturne—

Lillian Hellman

: to end relations

—used with with

decided to finish with him for good

: to end a competition in a specified manner or position

finished third in the race

transitive verb

: to bring to an end : terminate

finished the speech and sat down

: to use or dispose of entirely

her sandwich finished the loaf

: to bring to completion or issue

hope to finish their new home before winter

: to provide with a finish

especially : to put a final coat or surface on

finish a table with varnish

: to defeat or ruin utterly and finally

the scandal finished his career

: to bring about the death of

—usually used with off

The gladiator finished off his opponent.

finisher noun

finish

2 of 2

noun

: something that completes or perfects: such as

: the fine or decorative work required for a building or one of its parts

: a finishing material used in painting

: the final treatment or coating of a surface

: the taste in the mouth after swallowing a beverage (such as wine)

: final stage : end

: the cause of one's ruin

: the result or product of a finishing process

a glossy finish

: the quality or state of being perfected

Choose the Right Synonym for finish

close, end, conclude, finish, complete, terminate mean to bring or come to a stopping point or limit.

close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

Example Sentences

Verb You can't watch TV until you finish your homework. He started his homework two hours ago and he still hasn't finished. They hope to finish their new home by winter. They're building a new home and they hope to finish by winter. The chairman finished the meeting at noon. The meeting finished on a positive note. Noun a suspense film with a perfect surprise finish The table had a shiny finish. I need to put one more coat of finish on the chair. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Delta’s fee to correct and finish the build exceeded the original quote by $58 million. —

Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2023 In the preseason, Maryland was ranked No. 15 and picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten by the league’s head coaches. —

Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2023 Their soft filaments ensure that you’re left with a smooth, mark-free finish, and are easy to clean when you’re finished for the day. —

Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 3 Mar. 2023 The book also describes Daisy and Simone's large age gap, with the elder Simone encouraging Daisy to finish her high school graduation. —

Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 Mar. 2023 Eddie Bauer pants are meant for adventure, and this pair uses the brand's signature StormRepel DWR (durable water repellent) finish to eliminate moisture, keeping you comfortable and dry no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. —

Madeline Diamond, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2023 Marquette was picked to finish ninth in the Big East before the season started. —

Emmett Prosser, Journal Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2023 It can be found post-security at the international departures terminal making for a perfect way to finish an active trip. —

Jonny Bierman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Feb. 2023 Cheap pleaded with the naval administration to finish readying the Centurion. —

David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023

Noun

The league has preset odds to determine who will receive the top four picks among the 14 teams to miss the playoffs, then orders picks 5-14 in reverse regular-season finish after the top picks are determined. —

Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press, 3 Mar. 2023 The matching steel bracelet gives the feel of a silver steel watch, but in a darker finish. —

Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 1 Mar. 2023 To keep your granite selection feeling of the moment, consider getting the stone in a honed or matte finish (sometimes also called leathered, though that can come with texturing as well, so be sure to ask your supplier). —

Alyssa Longobucco, House Beautiful, 27 Feb. 2023 Pinpoint a color scheme and stock up on a quart of standard interior paint in a satin finish. —

Charlyne Mattox, Country Living, 22 Feb. 2023 The version made at Botromagno is fermented and aged in steel tanks, which helps promote the maraschino cherry and plum fruit flavors; there are notes of chocolate and anise in the finish. —

Tom Hyland, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023 Audige scored 10 points in Northwestern's dazzling finish. —

Jay Cohen, ajc, 13 Feb. 2023 Dementiev and Conway, fellow senior captains, were instrumental in the Rockets’ first-place finish. —

Emma Healy, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Feb. 2023 Try the golden ivory sheers to bring warmth to your design or shroud your window in the gray finish for silvery, sophisticated results. —

Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English finisshen, borrowed from Anglo-French finiss-, stem of finir, going back to Latlin fīnīre "to mark out the boundaries, limit, put an end to, bring to a close," derivative of fīnis "boundary, limit, ending" — more at final entry 1

Noun

derivative of finish entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1779, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of finish was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century