finishing school
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of finishing school
First recorded in 1830–40
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.
Young women finishing school and establishing themselves before starting families isn’t a symptom of social decay, she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026
Many survivors treated in childhood or young adulthood are working toward finishing school, launching careers, gaining independence, or starting families.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 2, 2026
Soon after finishing school, he started working as a bus conductor.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026
In Year 2, on the other hand, Betts has graduated to something of a finishing school.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2025
“Was finishing school so wearisome that you had to run away?” he asked.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
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.
