final

[fahyn-l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR final ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pertaining to or coming at the end; last in place, order, or time: the final meeting of the year.

ultimate: The final goal is world peace.

conclusive or decisive: a final decision.

constituting the end or purpose: a final result.

pertaining to or expressing the end or purpose: a final clause.

Law.

precluding further controversy on the questions passed upon: The judicial determination of the Supreme Court is final.
determining all issues presented, so that no further decision upon the merits of the issues is necessary: a final judgment or decree.

Phonetics. occurring at the end of a word or syllable, as the (t) sound in bit or bite.

noun

that which is last; that which forms an end or termination.

Often finals.

the last and decisive game, match, contest, or round in a series, as in sports.
the last, usually comprehensive, examination in a course of study.

the last edition of a newspaper published on any day.

Music. the tonic note of a church mode.

Origin of final

1300–50; 1915–20 for def 10; Middle English < Latin fīnālis, equivalent to fīn(is) end + -ālis -al¹

Related formspseu·do·fi·nal, adjectivepseu·do·fi·nal·ly, adverbqua·si-fi·nal, adjective

Synonyms for final

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR final ON THESAURUS.COM

1. See last¹. 3. definite, irrevocable, irreversible, unalterable.

Antonyms for final

1. initial, first.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for finals

search, attempt, final, evaluation, analysis, standard, trial, experiment, inquiry, investigation, assessment, approval, inspection, check, checkup, scan, probe, questionnaire, review, research

Examples from the Web for finals

Contemporary Examples of finals

These days, Tirico announces everything from the World Cup to the NBA Finals to the crown jewel, Monday Night Football.
ESPN: The Worldwide Leader in Pricks
Marlow Stern
July 29, 2014
Ahead of the finals, more fans are doctoring photos of the two pontiffs wearing national team colored skullcaps.
Pope Francis v. Pope Benedict: Who Will God Favor In World Cup Final?
Barbie Latza Nadeau
July 10, 2014
At just 22 years, 350 days, he was the third youngest NBA Finals MVP in history behind Magic Johnson and his teammate, Tim Duncan.
Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard Is Named NBA Finals MVP on Father’s Day, Six Years After His Dad’s Murder
Marlow Stern
June 16, 2014
Jean-Marie Le Pen was crushed in the 2002 finals by a margin of more than five to one.
The Seductive Madame Le Pen
Christopher Dickey
January 9, 2014
So we hatched a plan to meet after the finals in Pamplona, Spain, for the running of the bulls.
A Young Chef Travels to Calabria, Italy, and Learns the Old Ways of Cooking
Curtis Stone
November 28, 2013

Historical Examples of finals

Among the three who had reached the finals was their guest of the previous evening.
The Highgrader
William MacLeod Raine
The other two riders who had reached the finals were both experts in the saddle.
The Highgrader
William MacLeod Raine
Every week my finals and initials are held in many large towns.
Chatterbox, 1906
Various
My initials form a country in Europe, and my finals one of its lakes.
Little Folks (November 1884)
Various
If I passed with higher credit in the preliminaries than in the finals, there are two reasons.
Story of My Life
Helen Keller

British Dictionary definitions for finals

finals

pl n

the deciding part or parts of a sports or other competition

education the last examination series in an academic or professional course

final

adjective

of or occurring at the end; concluding; ultimate; last

having no possibility for further discussion, action, or change; conclusive; decisivea final decree of judgment

relating to or constituting an end or purposea final clause may be introduced by ``in order to''

phonetics at the end of a word``cat'' has a final ``t'' Compare medial (def. 1), initial (def. 1)

music another word for perfect (def. 9b)

noun

a terminal or last thing; end

a deciding contest between the winners of previous rounds in a competition

music the tonic note of a church mode

Word Origin for final

C14: from Latin fīnālis, from fīnis limit, boundary

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for finals

short for final exams, by 1890.

final

adj.

early 14c., from Old French final and directly from Latin finalis "of or pertaining to an end, concluding, final," from finis "end" (see finish). As a noun, late 14c., "that which comes last;" meaning "final contest" in a sporting sense is from 1880. As a shortening of final examination, from 1880.

Idioms and Phrases with finals

final

see in the final analysis.