finish 1 of 2

verb

ˈfi-nish How to pronounce finish (audio)
Definition of finishnext
1
as in to complete
to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we'll finish the concert before dark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stop
to come to an end the three-day race finished yesterday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

finish

2 of 2

noun

1
as in ending
the last part of a process or action a pie-eating contest is the fair's traditional finish

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in end
the stopping of a process or activity an all-out fight right to the finish

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb finish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of finish are close, complete, conclude, end, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When would close be a good substitute for finish?

The words close and finish can be used in similar contexts, but close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When can complete be used instead of finish?

The synonyms complete and finish are sometimes interchangeable, but complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

Where would conclude be a reasonable alternative to finish?

The meanings of conclude and finish largely overlap; however, conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

When could end be used to replace finish?

Although the words end and finish have much in common, end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

In what contexts can terminate take the place of finish?

The words terminate and finish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

How does the verb finish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of finish are close, complete, conclude, end, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When would close be a good substitute for finish?

The words close and finish can be used in similar contexts, but close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When can complete be used instead of finish?

The synonyms complete and finish are sometimes interchangeable, but complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

Where would conclude be a reasonable alternative to finish?

The meanings of conclude and finish largely overlap; however, conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

When could end be used to replace finish?

Although the words end and finish have much in common, end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

In what contexts can terminate take the place of finish?

The words terminate and finish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

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 finish
Verb
Once the fragrance was finished, the bottle often lost its purpose. —Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026 And Thomas finished it against left-hander Joey Lucchesi in extras. —Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
When Vanity Fair caught up with Gasly after a sixth-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix—his best result of the young 2026 season—the Alpine driver was asked how his life has changed since Formula 1 became an all-out international phenomenon. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026 Watercolor nails Inspired by Impressionist paintings, watercolor nails put an artistic spin on the season’s texture trend as translucent polishes are swirled together for a diffused finish that feels fluid and expressive. —Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for finish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finish
  1. complete
  2. end
  3. stop
  4. ending
  5. halt
  6. conclude
  7. expire
  8. conclusion
Verb
  • Among the stores are a couple in South Florida that were on last summer’s list that were not completed as planned in 2025.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Caltrans reopened northbound lanes of 19th Avenue in San Francisco early Monday morning, as crews completed the first of three weekend closures for repaving work.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of complete
Verb
  • His step-back jumper with 32 seconds left was the exclamation point, a shot that ended Orlando’s final push and extended Detroit’s season.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Sophomore reliever Mason Almazan coaxed a shallow fly out with a runner at third to end the game.
    — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of end
Verb
  • Quin Snyder’s Towns wrinkle stalled the Knicks briefly, then stopped working.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The workers get ordered to start jobs, stop jobs, ignore jobs and are other things that turn them into ping pong balls, with the Butleys and the del Valles as the paddles.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of stop
Noun
  • These periods tend to bring sudden news, endings, breakthroughs or a turning point.
    — Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Most romances begin with normal life and build to a happy ending.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of ending
Noun
  • Detroit turned up the heat on defense while Orlando’s offense came to a complete halt.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
  • Today, roughly half of the global ethylene and polyethylene supply is stranded, constrained, or directly affected by the halt to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial transit point for 20% of the world’s crude.
    — Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Jonathan Lucas concluded that Patton’s death was an accident caused by acute bacterial bronchopneumonia complicated by influenza A, with substance use disorder and the effects of methadone listed as contributing factors.
    — Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The Vikings could target him as an undrafted signing to bolster a defensive backs group that should look far different when the draft concludes.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of conclude
Verb
  • Bryson DeChambeau’s contract, arguably LIV’s biggest draw, expires at the end of the year.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • In fact, historically, spending 5% on an at-the-money call option expiring in two weeks would have resulted in a loss overall.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of expire
Noun
  • Friday night was supposed to be the conclusion.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
  • In response, members of the prosecution team attempted to provide more context in public interviews, explaining the ATF's conclusions while noting the defendant was innocent until proven guilty, Ballard wrote.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Definition of conclusion

Browse Nearby Words

finises
finish
finished
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Cite this Entry

“Finish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finish. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on finish

Nglish: Translation of finish for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about finish

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