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 Gordie Howe bridge will finally open, albeit with a new toll for a U.S. government fund.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
A bill "to prevent cover-ups" in response to the Hillsborough Disaster will "finally pass after years of frustration".
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
This is where an actor widely known for one long-running role, usually on television, finally concedes that disappearing into another character is all but impossible.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
And despite still being in a legal gray zone, it’s finally launched—with Heidecker at the helm.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2026
I take a perverse satisfaction in rushing off toward Dara, planning to drop her food and finally find my escape route.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
