finalist

American  

[fahyn-l-ist] / ˈfaɪn l ɪst /

noun

1. a person entitled to participate in the final or decisive contest in a series, as in musical or athletic competition.

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finalist British  

/ ˈfaɪnəlɪst /

noun

1. a contestant who has reached the last and decisive stage of a sports or other competition

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Etymology

Origin of finalist

First recorded in 1895–1900; final + -ist

Explanation

A finalist is a competitor who reaches the final game, match, or tournament. If your favorite sports team wins in the semi-finals, it means they're a finalist in the last game. A spelling bee finalist is likely to face some really tricky words, and a finalist in a pie-eating contest must be unbelievably good at quick chewing and swallowing. If you don't expect to win even one game in a chess competition, you'll be shocked to find yourself a finalist. An earlier meaning of the word was "one who believes the end has been reached."

Example Sentences

Josefina Baillères, a finalist in the jewelry category who took home the award later that night, wore a simple mesh tunic.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Kelechukwu Mpamaugo, a finalist in the graduate category, wore her high school prom dress.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Wildcard Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist making his way back up the rankings after a lengthy injury lay-off, said it was "one of the best performances of my life".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

In 2019, Dave was part of the Journal’s coverage of PG&E, which was recognized as a Pulitzer Prize finalist and Gerald Loeb award winner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Irina Solovieva was 24 when she became a finalist for cosmonaut training.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson