Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

finally

/ˈfaɪ.nə.li/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.17 in modern English

Syllables: fi-nal-ly
IPA: /ˈfaɪ.nə.li/

13

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

At the end or conclusion; ultimately.

adv

At bottom; ultimately; when all is considered.

adv

To finish (with); lastly (in the present).

adv

Definitively, comprehensively.

Example Sentences

"The contest was long, but the Romans finally conquered."
"In a world in which "like singing,/ the next day's shriek for ease rises," in a world whose "survivors" are "capable of any cry, never done/ clasping in the city's shaken places," it is perhaps not surprising to find a dehumanizing but finally protective system of alienation imposing itself."
"Cyberneticism is, finally, a refined form of scientism, and therefore it is also more dangerous. This form of scientism is not based on linear causality, as mechanistic thought is; rather, it is based on circular causality."
"Finally, I washed my dog."
"Finally, I'd like to thanks all the people who helped to make it this far."
"I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town."

Etymology

From Middle English finally, fynaly, fynally, fynaliche, fynalliche, equivalent to final + -ly.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: finally

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfaɪ.nə.li/
British English: /ˈfaɪ.nə.li/

Derived Forms

semifinally

Phrases

and finally in summary

Frequently Paired Words

finish in summary

Synonyms

eventually in the end at last at length endly finally last lastly ultimately completely thoroughly totally

Homonyms

finely (some US dialects)

Antonyms

initially medially

Questions

How do you pronounce finally?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfaɪ.nə.li/.
What does finally mean?: At the end or conclusion; ultimately.
Where does finally come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce finally

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “finally”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfaɪ.nə.li/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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