finishing 1 of 3

adjective

as in ending

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finishing

2 of 3

noun

as in stopping

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finishing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of finish
1
as in completing
to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow

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2
as in concluding
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we'll finish the concert before dark

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3
as in expiring
to come to an end the three-day race finished yesterday

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 finishing
Adjective
As the clock continues to tick down ahead of the $875 million stadium’s debut, officials noted many finishing touches remain related to the venue’s interior but that the university will be ready by game day. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 This summer jerseys and track shorts officially dethroned yoga pants as the athletic trend du jour for fashion connoisseurs, with a focus on both comfort and style through elegant finishing touches. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2026 This tactical evolution, alongside exceptional finishing quality, underscores a tournament defined by strategic depth. — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 More finishing ability to complement their distinctive style. — Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 1 June 2026 Local artists were commissioned to add finishing touches, including Gonçalo Jordão and textile designer Thierry Larche, who collaborated on the property’s own azulejo (ceramic tiles) in the garden area. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 The buyer agreed to take the home fully furnished, purchasing everything from the primary pieces to the smaller finishing details. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026 Florists can also properly wrap flowers for safe transport and add finishing touches, such as ribbons and bows, to complete the bouquet. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 13 Apr. 2026 The difference between the two fonts comes down to a few finishing strokes. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 11 Dec. 2025
Noun
To keep your witch costume fashionably chic, pointy-toe black lace-up boots or pumps are the perfect finishing touch. — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026 Over the years, this service has evolved and was updated in 2025, allowing customers to select everything from the canvas and monogram details through to hardware finishing. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 Her knee-high Gianvito Rossi boots added a sumptuous finishing touch. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Oct. 2026 Propped up by strong finishing, Tottenham were on 11 points at this stage a year ago, but soon reverted to their relegation-battling baseline once that ruthlessness deserted them. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 High dynamic range, 4K finishing and temporal consistency remain significant challenges, even as Eyeline advances its own solutions. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 Each piece is unique thanks to the hand-finishing in reclaimed pine. — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2026 The pressure of finishing games in the Bronx hasn’t seemed to bother Bednar one bit. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026 A little bit more of the K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil was the perfect finishing touch. — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
After finishing second in the first round, Lula stepped up his digital mobilization efforts to expand his reach and turn support into votes. — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026 But Hardaway’s shooting struggles continued, finishing Saturday’s defeat with five points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field and 0-of-5 shooting on threes in 21 minutes off the bench. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026 Among other issues — a growing injury list, protection breakdowns and trouble finishing sacks — the Chiefs now have a legitimate concern at kicker. — Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026 His 21-year run cannot be matched — 11 10-win seasons, 11 bowl victories, seven times finishing in the top 10 of the final Associated Press poll. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026 To build a 125-point lead, Antonelli needs to win today's race, with teammate George Russell finishing P9 or lower and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton finishing P5 or lower. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2026 Pico dropped Keita with a straight right hand before finishing him with a flurry of punches. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Art Basel Paris, which opened on Tuesday for its Avant-Première (super VIP) day, and on Wednesday, for the full VIP preview, canceled its Saturday and Sunday slots, now finishing at the end of the day on Friday. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 In its third weekend, Digger grossed just $920,000, finishing 15th—13 spots behind You Can See Everything. — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finishing
  1. closing
  2. stopping
  3. completing
  4. ending
  5. concluding
  6. passing
  7. rest
  8. expiring
Adjective
  • The question is whether the post-closing company can afford to do all of it while servicing that debt, integrating two enormous businesses, achieving the synergies its financing assumes, funding streaming and deleveraging on schedule.
    — Joseph M. Singer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In my experience, IP analysis also impacts post-closing integration assumptions around product and platform continuity, as well as revenue protection mechanisms tied to exclusivity and licensing integrity.
    — Keegan Caldwell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of closing
Noun
  • The reference was the caravanserai, a historic stopping place where travelers crossed paths before moving on.
    — Footwear News, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Braking is handled by dual-piston hydraulic calipers clamping down on large rotors for the promise of serious stopping power even in wet weather.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of stopping
Verb
  • For a deployment decision, the calculation should also include the time people spend checking, correcting and completing the agent’s work.
    — Swapnil Upganlawar, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • McCarthy played a clean game, completing 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards.
    — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of completing
Verb
  • Texas ran for 212 yards, and it all but put the game away on the ground until Ole Miss assembled an evening-ending combination of plays that led to a Hail Mary attempt to potentially win it.
    — Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Kicker Nick Folk missed an extra point, ending a 67-try streak of perfection that dated back to the 2023 season as well.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of ending
Verb
  • After a release-weekend show at Camp Flog Gnaw on November 14, the rapper-producer will kick off a full North American trek in Februrary, concluding some five weeks later in Vancouver.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Well, this royal soap opera shows no signs of concluding anytime soon.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of concluding
Adjective
  • The Horned Frogs leaned more on their passing game as the run game took a step back significantly in 2023.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Containing the ground game could put Seattle in predictable passing situations, giving the Chiefs a chance to pressure Darnold and force mistakes.
    — Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of passing
Noun
  • The routine consisted of four two-minute sessions separated by two minutes of seated rest, monitored using heart-rate straps to ensure consistent effort.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But the practice of long rest cures had waned in Switzerland in the nineteen-nineties, in part because health insurers stopped fully covering extended stays at spas and wellness centers.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of rest
Verb
  • Meyer said it would be complicated to extend the expiring five-year contract for another season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • For the second time in four seasons, Boone is set to manage the Yankees on an expiring contract, leaving his future beyond 2027 very much up in the air.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of expiring

Browse Nearby Words

finishes (off)
finishing
finishing (off)
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Cite this Entry

“Finishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finishing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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