adverb
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after a long delay; at last; eventually
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at the end or final point; lastly
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completely; conclusively; irrevocably
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in the end; lastly
finally, he put his tie on
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as the last or final point: linking what follows with the previous statements, as in a speech or argument
Etymology
Origin of finally
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.
Vocabulary lists containing finally
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
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Workshop 2, Part 1
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Unit 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We hope they will be convicted, but clearly the most important thing for the victims is that the truth finally comes out," Egle Possetti, who heads a committee of relatives of the victims, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
It would offer travelers and employees an alternative to getting to and from the airport by vehicle and finally establish a direct airport connection to Metro trains that would ease congestion at the airport horseshoe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Americans’ incomes are finally growing faster than home prices — but frustrated buyers shut out of the housing market may not notice much of a difference.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
When the pair finally arrive back home, night has already fallen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Holding it in my hand, I finally understand what Mr. Harris was trying to tell me.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
