final 1 of 2

final

2 of 2

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

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
His Drake teams won at least 20 games each year, including 25 or more in each of his final four seasons. Adam Zagoria, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 The one start in that sequence for Marc-Andre Fleury was his final game against the Penguins on March 9. Joe Smith, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
Southern California Regional champions and Northern California Regional champions meet in the CIF State finals on March 14 and 15 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Steve Fryer, Orange County Register, 2 Mar. 2025 The Central Coast Section powerhouse qualified five wrestlers for the finals among the 14 weight divisions, and all five won first-place medals. Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for final
Recent Examples of Synonyms for final
Adjective
  • Jockey Flavien Prat road John Hancock last race but stays aboard Rapture here.
    Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Former First-Round Pick Linebacker in Blockbuster Trade With Titans The Ravens received their picks for losing Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney, Geno Stone, and Kevin Zeitler in free agency last offseason, which makes their success this past season more impressive.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • As some of America’s biggest and most recognizable companies, CEOs and boards of directors continue to speak out for and against certain social and geopolitical issues—particularly DEI —consumers have begun to draw their own conclusions about how these actions will affect them and their families.
    Doug Melville, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • In contrast, O’Neill Burke’s early policy announcements have been more typical of a tough-on-crime approach, pledging to automatically seek pretrial detention for certain offenses and directing prosecutors to seek prison sentences in every felony case involving machine gun-type weapons.
    Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Spartans will take on Methuen/Tewksbury in the semifinals for a chance to book a trip to TD Garden.
    Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Fairmont Prep plays host to Windward in the semifinals on Saturday.
    Dan Albano, Orange County Register, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This test follows years of work developing the seaglider since the company was founded in 2020.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Mar. 2025
  • There'll be all kinds of new educational tests for him along the way, and that will also challenge his relationship with Luthen and everyone else.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 10 Mar. 2025
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
  • Learning the art and science of how to keep these boats stable is a work in progress.
    Andrew Rice, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Those fuel costs resulted in a 3 percent increase in total costs per ground package on a sequential basis, and kept the costs relatively stable on a year-over-year basis.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • A lot of things have always really celebrated the shell, the man in Black, the stats, the championships, the wins, the success, the whole persona.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Brother Rice will take on two-time defending state champion DePaul Prep (32-4), a 39-25 winner over Chatham Glenwood, at 6 p.m. Saturday in the championship game.
    Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Healthcare providers use exams, imaging tests, and biopsies to diagnose ovarian cancer.
    Julie Scott, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2025
  • These are the sections used to measure your score on the exam.
    BestReviews, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Final.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/final. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on final

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!