1
: after a prolonged time : at the end of period of time
Two hours later, the train finally arrived.
He finally got around to calling.
I'm so happy to finally meet you!
It finally dawned on me what she'd meant.
2
a
: as the last act or occurrence in a series : in the end : eventually
After many attempts, they finally gave up.
"My career meandered all over the place and I finally settled on comedic acting. …"—
Cassandra Peterson
Cassandra Peterson"He listened to the whole thing, very attentive, and finally he turned to the doctor and he said, 'I have a question.'"—Russell Newman
Russell Newman
b
: by way of conclusion : as the last point
"… Finally, I'd like to thank the fans for their great support …"—Joe Girardi
Joe Girardi
c
: in the end : ultimately
What finally matters is whether you're likely to drink enough of the organisms to make you sick.—Peter Jaret
Peter Jaret3
old-fashioned
: in a final manner : in a way that does not allow change
I have reason for asking this question which you have answered so finally.—Willa Cather
Willa CatherShe said it so finally … that Mr. Pumblechook … could not protest.—Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens… the power to decide finally and conclusively upon all motions made in the course of legislative proceedings …—John G. Carlisle
John G. Carlisle
Synonyms
Examples of finally in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The trio worked on the tracks for months before finally working on the raging bridge, a big Nineties pop moment from Roan that predicts the regret her negligent partner will face one day.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
The moment finally came on a hike in the San Gabriel Mountains on a Saturday morning.
—Isabelle Stillman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
For much of the two decades since Arsenal’s title-winning ‘Invincible’ season in 2004, the Gunners have struggled to really compete at the top of the table but look to have finally turned the page on a difficult chapter for the club.
—Ben Church, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
When will the pollen finally stop in Sacramento? With spring in full swing, seasonal allergies are on the rise in the region.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024
The law finally caught up to James Bond — or at least the actor who used to play him.
—Josh Robbins, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
This latest error comes about two weeks after colleges finally started to receive financial data from the Education Department.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024
For Hillman and other Indigenous activists, the struggle to restore the Klamath involved years of protests — including outside a Scottish Power shareholders meeting in Edinburgh when the U.K. company owned PacifiCorp — until agreements were finally negotiated to remove the hydroelectric dams.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Pegula, who has never advanced past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tourney despite spending most of the past three years ranked in the top five, is trying to finally break through behind bold decision-making.
—David Wilson, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
The moment finally came on a hike in the San Gabriel Mountains on a Saturday morning.
—Isabelle Stillman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
For much of the two decades since Arsenal’s title-winning ‘Invincible’ season in 2004, the Gunners have struggled to really compete at the top of the table but look to have finally turned the page on a difficult chapter for the club.
—Ben Church, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
When will the pollen finally stop in Sacramento? With spring in full swing, seasonal allergies are on the rise in the region.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024
The law finally caught up to James Bond — or at least the actor who used to play him.
—Josh Robbins, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
This latest error comes about two weeks after colleges finally started to receive financial data from the Education Department.
—Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024
For Hillman and other Indigenous activists, the struggle to restore the Klamath involved years of protests — including outside a Scottish Power shareholders meeting in Edinburgh when the U.K. company owned PacifiCorp — until agreements were finally negotiated to remove the hydroelectric dams.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Pegula, who has never advanced past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tourney despite spending most of the past three years ranked in the top five, is trying to finally break through behind bold decision-making.
—David Wilson, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'finally.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Time Traveler
The first known use of finally was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing finally
Dictionary Entries Near finally
Cite this Entry
“Finally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finally. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on finally
Nglish: Translation of finally for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of finally for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share