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final

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noun

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
Also, neither of us are that physically fit, so maybe everyone's going to take us to the final. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 29 Jan. 2025 For that, an amendment was required, and its final ratification, in December, 1865, may have freed more slaves than the previous four years of fighting. Scott Spillman, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
Butler once again led the Heat to the NBA Finals in 2023, becoming the second No. 8 seed to ever reach the finals. Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025 Andrea Jaeger, who reached two Grand Slam finals and was the world No. 2 at 16, retired at 20, just as Austin first did, with a shoulder injury. Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for final 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for final
Adjective
  • Just last year in 2024, Texas was on Forbes’ list of the cities with the worst drivers, specifically talking about Dallas and Fort Worth.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
  • At last year’s AFC Championship Game against the Ravens in Baltimore, Swift wore a red, oversized cashmere sweater from gal-pal Gigi Hadid’s Guest in Residence collection.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • When in reality… there’s certain things that need to be told to the head coach that are occurring.
    Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
  • The filmmaker dropped hints about certain archetypes that populate the movie, the musician channeling magic and the mystical qualities of twins, among them.
    Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Boswell, an Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD school located in Fort Worth, had its furthest playoff run in the 1976-77 season when the Pioneers advanced to the state semifinals.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Damien made 14 threes to advance to the semifinals of the Baseline League tournament.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • To run a test campaign on RCS, Listrak teamed with its client, Dooney & Bourke.
    Arthur Zaczkiewicz, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The most recent national test scores reveal declining math scores, with nine-year-olds down 7 points from 2020 to 2022 and thirteen-year-olds down 9 points from 2020 to 2023.
    Sara Schapiro, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
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
Adjective
  • View Comments While the US economy has been solid and financial markets stable as a whole, the BOJ must be vigilant to uncertainties surrounding US policy conduct, the report said.
    Reuters, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The shows provide a stable haven for pharmaceutical advertisers, still one of the biggest supporters of linear TV.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Two days later, Quillan then scored the overtime winner in the national championship game to crown Quinnipiac NCAA champions.
    Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The City Section will host championship soccer games at L.A. Valley College and Pasadena City College. ...
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Every two years, a representative sampling of fourth graders and eighth graders in the United States takes the NAEP exam, which offers a snapshot of students’ math and reading progress.
    Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jan. 2025
  • The national exam results also show growing inequality: While the highest-performing students have started to regain lost ground, lower-performing students are falling further behind.
    CBS News, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near final

Cite this Entry

“Final.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/final. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on final

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