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. CarlisleExamples of finally in a Sentence
we're making steady progress and may finally finish this project
Recent Examples on the Web
Florida finally got its second two-star Michelin restaurant.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Travis Sanheim, meanwhile, was never the same after the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, at one point going 15 straight games without a point, and finally ending a 40-game goal drought on March 22.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Now, nearly a month after signing, the Tucson, Arizona, native is finally back in the big leagues, thanks to the struggling Braves' desperation to fill their outfield slots.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
And for those of us who’ve tracked the snack wrap moment from the first wave of comments to the official return, that’s the story: how a wrap turned into a movement, a meme, and now—finally—a menu item again.
—Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
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Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Travis Sanheim, meanwhile, was never the same after the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, at one point going 15 straight games without a point, and finally ending a 40-game goal drought on March 22.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Now, nearly a month after signing, the Tucson, Arizona, native is finally back in the big leagues, thanks to the struggling Braves' desperation to fill their outfield slots.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
And for those of us who’ve tracked the snack wrap moment from the first wave of comments to the official return, that’s the story: how a wrap turned into a movement, a meme, and now—finally—a menu item again.
—Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finally
Cite this Entry
“Finally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finally. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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