finalist

noun

fi·​nal·​ist ˈfī-nə-list How to pronounce finalist (audio)
: a contestant in a competition finals

Examples of finalist in a Sentence

They interviewed all of the finalists before making a decision. a finalist in the tennis tournament
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback who was a Heisman Trophy finalist this past college season, remains available heading into the third and final day of the NFL Draft. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025 The two-time finalist for the Doak Walker Award, which honors the nation’s top running back, rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, a stellar encore to his breakout sophomore year. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025 Besides Weiss/Manfredi, finalists had included Kengo Kuma and Associates of Tokyo, Renzo Piano Building Workshop of Genoa, Italy, Selldorf Architects of New York, Studio Gang of Chicago and Why Architecture of Los Angeles, California. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025 The other finalists are Harrison Barnes of the San Antonio Spurs, Chris Boucher of the Toronto Raptors, Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics and CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for finalist

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of finalist was in 1898

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Finalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finalist. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

finalist

noun
fi·​nal·​ist ˈfīn-ᵊl-əst How to pronounce finalist (audio)
: a contestant in the finals of a competition

More from Merriam-Webster on finalist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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