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terminal

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective terminal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of terminal are final, last, and ultimate. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

When would final be a good substitute for terminal?

In some situations, the words final and terminal are roughly equivalent. However, final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

When is it sensible to use last instead of terminal?

The meanings of last and terminal 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

Where would ultimate be a reasonable alternative to terminal?

The words ultimate and terminal can be used in similar contexts, 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 terminal
Adjective
Federal inmates may apply for compassionate release, historically reserved for those with terminal illnesses and a life expectancy of only months. Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 The mother of two was cleared of her diagnosis of cervical cancer in December 2024 before the discovery of tumors in her brain led to her terminal cancer diagnosis in February 2025. Angel Saunders, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
For example, Henry said, Ukrainian soldiers have been able to mount Starlink terminals on drones, but the OneWeb terminals are too large for that. Ars Technica, 12 Mar. 2025 Seattle Ferry terminal shows Seattle Ferry and Seattle skyline at sunset, Washington State. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for terminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terminal
Adjective
  • The college basketball video games lagged the college football games in sales; EA’s final installment reportedly failed to surpass 200,000 unit sales.
    Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Force will be back for its third and final season later this year.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In Florida, death row inmates who choose lethal injection receive a three-drug cocktail consisting of a sedative, a paralytic and a heart-stopping drug, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
    Elizabeth Pritchett, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2025
  • In Oklahoma, 56-year-old Wendell Grissom was declared dead by lethal injection at the penitentiary in McAlester at 10:13 a.m.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, a massive blaze at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region has continued to rage since it was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack late Wednesday.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The blaze at the depot comes as the U.S., Russia and Ukraine work through the technical details of an agreement to halt attacks against energy infrastructure.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • The first wave of deadly overdoses were tied to OxyContin and other prescription drugs, and subsequent waves have involved first heroin and more recently illicit versions of fentanyl.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Ahead of the deadly hit-and-run, he was allegedly involved in a series of other crimes, including some electronic doorbell thefts on May 11, 2024 and a store robbery on May 17, 2024, according to police.
    Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • California has been ground zero for the H5N1 bird flu since last March.
    Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The star slugged 38 home runs with an OPS near .900 in 2023, but the 100 games from last year really dropped his value.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Missing The Human Element Another fatal error is treating AI implementation as purely a technical challenge rather than a socio-technical one that requires human adoption and integration.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The video the boys took the night of the fatal hit-and-run was uploaded to Instagram, police said.
    Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Scientists have already revived 30,000-year-old viruses from permafrost in Siberia—ones that were still infectious, though only to amoebas.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • But now, with US vaccination rates slipping, herd immunity becoming spotty, cases rising by the day, and outbreaks simmering in multiple states, the US is no longer different from far-off places that struggle with the extremely infectious virus.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Terminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terminal. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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