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.
The 31-year-old was finally diagnosed with the condition in 2025, a process she described as "frustrating".
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
And with the performance drawing some of the strongest reviews of his career, it could finally earn him the Oscar nomination that has somehow thus far eluded him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
He lays back, then builds momentum through repeated upper-register notes and midrange-thrums, and finally tugs at the Afro-Latin figures tucked within the tune.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Keep that in mind as you try to discern when the current bull market is about to finally top out.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
It took another four years though before Papi finally came home from Russia.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
