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.
Amy Poehler and many others described “SNL” almost as a finishing school.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 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
She enrolled at Milan’s Istituto Marangoni, a finishing school for Italian fashion royalty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
In recent years, Eintracht have earned a reputation as a finishing school for some of the world's best strikers.
From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2026
“If Father doesn’t send me back to finishing school, and if he doesn’t want me to travel with him.”
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.
