How do you use "final"?

Often used in the plural ('finals') when referring to a series of exams at the end of a degree. Typically used in the phrase 'final clause'.

final — meaning, definition & examples

Q: What does "final" mean?

1. (last in a series) coming at the very end of a series or process. 2. (decisive or fixed) cannot be changed; the last word on a matter. 3. (sports competition) the last game or match in a tournament that decides the winner. 4. (school examination) an important test at the end of a school or college term. 5. (grammar/purpose) describing the purpose or goal of an action.

Word

01last in a series

A2 · Elementary

adj. coming at the very end of a series or process.

adj. occurring at the end of a series, process, or period of time.

“The final chapter of the book explains what happened to the hero.”

“The final stage of the negotiations proved to be the most difficult, as neither side was willing to compromise on the remaining budget issues.”

Synonyms

last ultimate terminal

Antonyms

first initial

02decisive or fixed

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. cannot be changed; the last word on a matter.

adj. conclusive and decisive; allowing no further doubt, dispute, or revision.

“The judge's decision is final and cannot be appealed.”

“The board issued a final warning to the director, making it clear that any further policy violations would result in immediate dismissal.”

Synonyms

conclusive decisive irrevocable

Antonyms

tentative provisional

03sports competition

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Sports

n. the last game or match in a tournament that decides the winner.

n. the concluding heat, game, or match in a series or tournament which determines the ultimate winner.

“Thousands of fans travelled to the city to watch the cup final.”

“After a gruelling season, the two top-seeded teams met in the final to compete for the national trophy.”

Synonyms

championshiptitle match

Antonyms

opening roundqualifier

04school examination

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun American English

n. an important test at the end of a school or college term.

n. an examination administered at the end of an academic term or course of study.

“I need to stay in the library tonight to study for my history final.”

“The students felt an immense sense of relief once their graduation finals were over and the summer break officially began.”

Usage

Often used in the plural ('finals') when referring to a series of exams at the end of a degree.

Synonyms

exam test

Antonyms

midterm

05grammar/purpose

C1 · Advanced Education Formal · Technical

adj. describing the purpose or goal of an action.

adj. expressing purpose or the ultimate end in view; specifically used in linguistics to describe clauses of purpose.

“In the sentence 'He ran to catch the bus', the second part is a final clause.”

“The researcher analysed the use of final clauses in legal documents to determine how legislative intent is traditionally phrased.”

Usage

Typically used in the phrase 'final clause'.

Synonyms

purposive

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “final” in context.

01. final year 02. final day 03. final decision 04. final report 05. final two 06. final weeks 07. final season 08. final third 09. final capacity

From Middle English final, fynal, fynall, from Old French final, from Latin fīnālis (“of or relating to the end or to boundaries”), from fīnis (“end”); see fine. Replaced native English endly (“final”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

NOUN

ADJECTIVE

final(A1)

ADVERB

finally(A2)

end medal