# final

/ˈfaɪnəɫ/ (US) · /fˈaɪnəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/final
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. last in a series

adjective · CEFR A2

coming at the very end of a series or process.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. decisive or fixed

adjective · CEFR B2

cannot be changed; the last word on a matter.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. sports competition

noun · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. school examination

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

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

For teachers: 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.

### 5. grammar/purpose

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

describing the purpose or goal of an action.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- Our team won the final by two goals.
- The students spent the entire weekend in the library studying for their history final on Monday morning.
- After a grueling season of qualifiers, the two top-seeded teams met in the final to determine who would take home the championship trophy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.