final 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfī-nᵊl How to pronounce final (audio)
Definition of finalnext
1
as in last
following all others of the same kind in order or time this will be my final order

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in certain
having been established and usually not subject to change the wedding date is final

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

final

2 of 2

noun

1
as in semifinal

Related Words
2
as in test

Related Words

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
Later that evening, Lennon was assassinated outside of his apartment building, rendering the interview his final words spoken on the record. —Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 15 May 2026 The final wording of the legislation will be announced sometime next week. —Trey Wallace, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
Hawai’i is in the final for the fourth time in the past six years, having won the 2021 and 2022 titles before losing to UCLA in the 2023 title match. —Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026 Adding a gold medal to his nine NBA titles (four with the Warriors, one as a player), Kerr coaches the United States to a 98-87 win over host France in the men’s basketball final of the 2024 Olympics. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 10 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for final
Recent Examples of Synonyms for final
  1. last
  2. certain
  3. semifinal
  4. test
  5. latest
  6. stable
  7. championship
  8. exam
Adjective
  • Closing arguments Republican candidates for governor Chris Carr (from left), Clark Dean, Rick Jackson, Burt Jones, Gregg Kirkpatrick, Brad Raffensperger, Tom Williams and Ken Yasger appear at the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young governor debate last month.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 19 May 2026
  • Most recently, the RSF carried out drone attacks on Khartoum International Airport and other areas near the Sudanese capital, which the army seized control of last year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 May 2026
Definition of last
Adjective
  • Only in a certain light was the dent visible.
    — Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • Barker said the scene, in its original cut, was significantly more intense, ultimately forcing him to pull back on certain elements in order to avoid the restrictive rating.
    — Scott Shilstone, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Definition of certain
Noun
  • Horizon, in only its fifth year, swept Lake Brantley in three sets, 25-23, 25-18 and 25-20 on Thursday in a Class 3A semifinal in the FHSAA boys volleyball state tournament at Polk State College.
    — Bill Kemp, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
  • Another thriller is on the cards when Bayern Munich hosts Paris Saint-Germain for round two of their free-scoring Champions League semifinal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Definition of semifinal
Noun
  • Inexpensive test kits are available online or at garden centers.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • The Great Big Game Show is one of the newest attractions on International Drive, giving friends, co-workers, couples and families a chance to go head to head in tests of skill, luck, strategy and knowledge.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Definition of test
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
Definition of latest
Adjective
  • Composers from more stable lands nursed their own fears.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • One victim suffered critical injuries but was in stable condition, while three others sustained non-life-threatening wounds.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Definition of stable
Noun
  • Conley has not won a championship and said that pursuit could factor into his landing spot as well.
    — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Somerset Academy Canyons fell 33-12 to Miami Edison in the 1A state championship.
    — Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2026
Definition of championship
Noun
  • Rice University’s Kinder Institute studied 12 cohorts at Houston ISD from 2007 to 2019 and found that students attending the district’s Las Americas school, a specialized campus serving immigrants and refugee students in grades 4-8, had exceptionally higher end-of-year English course exam results.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
  • In a follow-up exam conducted six years after the infection, vestiges of the virus’s RNA were found in the man’s semen.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
Definition of exam

Browse Nearby Words

finagling
final
finale
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Final.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/final. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on final

Nglish: Translation of final for Spanish Speakers

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