FINISHES Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

finishes 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of finish

as in completes

to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow

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as in ends

to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we'll finish the concert before dark

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as in stops

to come to an end the three-day race finished yesterday

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finishes

2 of 2

noun

plural of finish

as in endings

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

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as in halts

the stopping of a process or activity an all-out fight right to the finish

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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 finishes

Verb

Levshunov finishes his food, his literal nature coming into play. — Scott Powers, New York Times, 30 July 2026 The question for advertisers has always been where that audience will land once cable finishes unwinding. — Gabriel Alin Zainescu, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Finding a solution to a big problem When Apgar hits, the nub catches the impact of contact while the left hand finishes the swing. — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026 The British rider finishes safely at the back of the main pack during the final stage, arm-in-arm with his teammates during the mostly ceremonial final stage ending on the Champs-Elysees. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 Now that chrome has made a comeback in kitchen and home design, all-brass finishes risk looking out of date. — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 24 July 2026 The idea is to find out which team finishes third – a concept many find hard to care about. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 July 2026 As the Miami Heat’s summer league finishes its work in Las Vegas in the coming days, most of the Heat’s top executives will be in Miami on Thursday to take in a big day for the organization. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 Research shows that the brain finishes developing and maturing in the mid to late 20s. — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Noun

Les Sables is also the center for a major sailboat race, Vendée Globe, a solo around-the-world yacht competition, which starts and finishes in the town. — Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Lightweight cotton wovens are boosted with technical finishes that add water-repellent and wind-resistant properties. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 28 July 2026 Attacking on Montmartre with Pogacar, the duo rode through their limits as the Dutchman delivered one of the most beautiful finishes ever seen on the Champs-Elysées. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 28 July 2026 The runner-up finish marked Gogel’s best career result on the PGA Champions Tour, surpassing a pair of third-place finishes (2026 Dick’s Open; 2025 Constellation Furyk and Friends). — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026 Avoid applying too much product at once and stick to thin layers for smoother finishes. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 July 2026 Buying a brand-new home with modern finishes, new appliances, a builder warranty and perhaps a community pool doesn't sound like the most affordable way to become a homeowner. — Mike Winters, CNBC, 23 July 2026 From a real estate standpoint, there’s more new construction here than in most comparable towns, which means more options for buyers who want modern finishes at prices that haven’t caught up to Lisbon’s level yet. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 July 2026 The property is a blend of high-end finishes and backcountry recreation, with miles of private trails and water features that aim to make the land feel like its own getaway. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for finishes

Verb

Sunday’s race completes his season, as there are no world championships being held in 2026.

— Jim Barnes July 26, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 July 2026
If the deal has not closed after September 30, additional consideration begins accruing daily at a rate equivalent to 25 cents a share every 90 days, payable when the transaction eventually completes.

— Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Definition of completes

Verb

The real challenge is creating enough emotional engagement for audiences, buyers and decision-makers to continue thinking about a project after the meeting ends.

— E'Ian West, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Former general manager Raegan Pebley is already gone, meaning coach Lynne Roberts is next, probably fired the day after the season ends.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

Definition of ends

Verb

Sterling that migrates from bank deposits into stablecoin reserves stops funding mortgages and business lending, and a fast-growing coin could pull deposits out of the banking system quicker than banks could adjust.

— Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Staff would be expected to evacuate patients in the event of a major tremor, but the plan stops there, according to Bubenek.

— Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026

Definition of stops

Noun

Science fiction has explored this scenario many times, and those stories almost never have happy endings.

— Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 July 2026
At the end of a magical World Cup run filled with thrilling endings and comebacks, there was no such finish for Lionel Messi and Argentina.

— Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026

Definition of endings

Verb

And somewhere in that arms race, the graduate who only wanted a place to learn sends her three hundredth application into a portal that will never answer, and quietly concludes that the reaching was the mistake.

— Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Online pre-bidding concludes with a live, in-person auction for the Sanders memorabilia on Tuesday evening.

— Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of concludes

Verb

Trump is reportedly weighing the new levies as a 10% temporary global tariff expires Friday.

— Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Greer signaled Tuesday that the administration is working on a new way to replace those broad levies, since its previous strategy to sustain them expires at the end of this week.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of expires

Noun

To reach these conclusions, the research methodology estimated how violence would have continued had the schools remained open, compared with crime data in the years after 2013.

— Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
Why airline ratings miss the actual passenger experience The search for the best airline can lead to some unexpected conclusions, according to experts.

— Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026