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Synonyms

finishing school

American  

noun

  1. a private school, usually at the high school or junior college level, that teaches young women social graces and prepares them for life in society.

finishing school British  

noun

  1. a private school for girls that prepares them for society by teaching social graces and accomplishments

"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

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.

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

She enrolled at Milan’s Istituto Marangoni, a finishing school for Italian fashion royalty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

"I dreamed of finishing school and becoming a doctor," said the eldest of five siblings who, according to the law, should be in school until the age of 16.

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

“If he could be the Minister of Education without finishing school, there’s no reason why he can’t be the Minister of Agriculture without ever having seen a cow,” Senator Trueba remarked.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

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.