finally

American  

[fahyn-l-ee] / ˈfaɪn l i /

adverb

1. at the final point or moment; in the end.

2. in a final manner; conclusively or decisively.

3. at last; eventually; after considerable delay.

   After three tries, he finally passed his driving test.

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finally British  

/ ˈfaɪnəlɪ /

adverb

1. after a long delay; at last; eventually

2. at the end or final point; lastly

3. completely; conclusively; irrevocably

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1. in the end; lastly

   finally, he put his tie on

2. as the last or final point: linking what follows with the previous statements, as in a speech or argument

Etymology

Origin of finally

First recorded in 1325–75; final + -ly

Explanation

Finally means "at the end of a long wait." Although it seemed like it would never end, and in the middle you were cursing the day you signed up for the marathon, when you finally finished, you were overjoyed. Final means "last," so use the adverb finally to describe an end result or long-awaited satisfaction. Once the tedious dinner party was over, you finally got to go home and watch TV. If you're giving a speech and you have 14 different points that you're going to make, when you get to the last one, say "finally..." and then make the point. You can also say "in conclusion..." if that last point really sums it all up.

Example Sentences

Trucking specialists say the industry has finally found an equilibrium where the supply of trucks is low enough to lift rates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

I described it as a relay race: We start with democracy and Piggy, then comes cracking of civility and Jack, then chaos with Simon, and finally war with Ralph.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

"When you are selected, you feel that all your hard work was worth it. Years of effort finally made sense."

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

But when I opened the menu, sitting in the sunshine with salt on the rim of my drink and warmth on my shoulders, I spotted the thing that finally made it feel like summer.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

She finally found her brother, wounded and malnourished, at Camp O’Donnell in Capas, a US military base north of Manila that was occupied by the Japanese military.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• already
• belatedly
• eventually
• someday
• sooner or later
• subsequently
• ultimately