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finish

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb finish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of finish are close, complete, conclude, end, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When would close be a good substitute for finish?

The words close and finish can be used in similar contexts, but close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When can complete be used instead of finish?

The synonyms complete and finish are sometimes interchangeable, but complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement

Where would conclude be a reasonable alternative to finish?

The meanings of conclude and finish largely overlap; however, conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

When could end be used to replace finish?

Although the words end and finish have much in common, end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

In what contexts can terminate take the place of finish?

The words terminate and finish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of finish
Verb
The Tour de France finished up Stage 16 on Tuesday with Valentin Paret-Peintre etching his name into the Tour, scooping up a victory in an emotional sprint to the finish. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025 The updates — which are being completed by the National Park Service and funded by the Trust for the National Mall — are expected to be finished by mid-August 2025. Meredith Kile, People.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
My mom’s house is the epitome of modern farmhouse design with its distressed finishes, rustic textures, and neutral palette. Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 24 July 2025 Both races will begin at Harbor Point’s Central Plaza and finish near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, where past editions of the men’s race have drawn tens of thousands of spectators. Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for finish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finish
Verb
  • Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre A two-tone Diamond Black and Qingshan Blue Black Badge Spectre completes the commissions.
    Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Wilson shined with the first team, completing more than half his passes and racking up a handful of touchdowns.
    Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Last year, Kennedy ended his independent bid for president during an Arizona visit and endorsed President Donald Trump.
    Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025
  • Within two hours of the meeting ending, send a summary, not a transcript.
    Ishaan Agarwal, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Shortly after Braun’s executive order, the Indiana Department of Health told local health departments to stop accepting requests to change genders on birth certificates.
    Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 24 July 2025
  • Break it up by stopping at the St. Regis Travel Center in St. Regis, Montana, for a huckleberry milkshake.
    Sal Vaglica, USA Today, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • His tail wagged, knowing his happy ending had finally arrived.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
  • So, obviously the season one ending is setting up some great exploration in the world above for season two.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2025
Noun
  • Combine that with a high-interest-rate environment and uncertainty over peace in the Middle East, spending came to a halt.
    Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
  • Over the years, the lighthouse was used as a museum and a coffee shop, but erosion from the sea forced that to come to a halt.
    Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • Shaffer and his colleagues have concluded the bird hitched back-to-back rides on a garbage truck, taking advantage of the low-effort form of transportation to reach a destination filled with tasty food scraps.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025
  • The four astronauts of Axiom Space's latest private mission have concluded their stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Ax-4's SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named Grace, undocked from the ISS this morning (July 14), carrying the quartet on the last leg of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • This week, Alina Habba, who was among Trump’s most notoriously combative criminal defense lawyers, is a likely casualty: Judges in New Jersey are nearly certain to nix any extension of her expiring interim term as the district’s U.S. attorney.
    Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 21 July 2025
  • What to know before tax credits expire Sept. 30 Younger adults who are buying their first new car, Anderson said, are among potential buyers who are the most likely to benefit from the new tax deduction on car loan interest.
    Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • The series came to a dramatic conclusion on Sunday, July 23, when Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales were crowned season 7’s winners.
    Erin Clements, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • In fact… The Chinese military does use Nvidia chips, according to research by Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, which analyzed 66,000 military purchasing records to come to that conclusion.
    Billy Perrigo, Time, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Finish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finish. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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