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
It was a really great finishing school as a young person.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 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
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
She gave me her finishing school grammar book.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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.
