final 1 of 2

Definition of finalnext

final

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective final contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of final are last, terminal, and ultimate. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

When would last be a good substitute for final?

The meanings of last and final 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

When is it sensible to use terminal instead of final?

While in some cases nearly identical to final, terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

When is ultimate a more appropriate choice than final?

The synonyms ultimate and final are sometimes interchangeable, 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

How does the adjective final contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of final are last, terminal, and ultimate. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

When would last be a good substitute for final?

The meanings of last and final 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

When is it sensible to use terminal instead of final?

While in some cases nearly identical to final, terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

When is ultimate a more appropriate choice than final?

The synonyms ultimate and final are sometimes interchangeable, 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 final
Adjective
Sam Warren’s analysis The Raiders got Fernando Mendoza a new protector with their final pick of Day 2. Sam Warren, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 So, Wolniakowski is extra fired up to make her final season a special one. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
It’s been 53 years since the club last reached an FA Cup final. Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 The cheapest resale price of a standard ticket for the final is now just under $11,000 on the marketplace, with the cheapest wheelchair-accessible ticket fetching almost $15,000. Ben Church, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for final
Recent Examples of Synonyms for final
Adjective
  • Charlie Kirk took off as a meme shortly after he was killed, last September, during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Sad memories of last year — when Wooten lost a tiebreaker in her state championship singles match to hand Palmetto the title — are all but erased.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Gukesh’s training was unusual in certain respects.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
  • There’s a certain attitude Seattle is searching for in its quest to build a roster capable of winning a second consecutive championship.
    Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Foremost for Nelson, a softball recruit for Columbia in New York, likely would be leading the Green Wave to a second straight regional title and advancing further than last year’s sectional semifinal.
    Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • English clubs have met in the final twice but this is the first all-English semifinal since 1973 when Liverpool eliminated Tottenham in the UEFA Cup, the previous version of the Europa League.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In the second experiment, 22 participants completed a version of the side-stepping test designed to capture the acceleration of different body segments.
    Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
  • After a test launch in Jacksonville and Orlando, Winn-Dixie expanded its same-day Amazon delivery partnership to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • The survivor is in stable condition.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • He was placed on detox monitoring, which was later discontinued after his condition appeared stable.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Recall that after the Rams lost in the NFC championship last January, team president Kevin Demoff’s first order of business was signing Snead and McVay to extensions that had been on the table all season.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
  • And who’s the team with championship expectations versus the team just happy to be out of the Play-In Tournament for the first time since its inception.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In Chicago, the charter network Noble Schools routinely outperformed the city’s district students on college entrance exams, even though students arrived at Noble with lower average test scores.
    Steven F. Wilson, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Additionally, the class action lawsuit has more than 200 of Todd’s patients sign on, who say they were abused or assaulted during what were supposed to be exams.
    Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Final.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/final. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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