Finishes — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈfi-nish/ (verb) /ˈger-ə-sən-/ (noun) fin·ish

Meaning & Definition of Finishes

Finishes (verb)

  1. to come to an end, terminate
  2. end
  3. to come to the end of a course, task, or undertaking
  4. to have no further need for (something), to stop using (something)
  5. to stop being involved with (someone), to end a romantic relationship with (someone)
  6. to stop dealing with, working on, or punishing (someone or something)

Finishes (noun)

  1. something that completes or perfects
  2. the fine or decorative work required for a building or one of its parts
  3. a finishing material used in painting
  4. a finish in which the winner comes from behind at the end
  5. a race or finish in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them as they cross the finish line has to be examined to determine the winner
  6. a close contest

Finishes (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done

    "we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow"

    similar: completes, consummates, finalizes, perfects, polishes, gets through
    related: follows through (with), sticks out, accomplishes, achieves, effects, carries out, carries through, discharges, does, executes, fulfills, performs, ameliorates, amends, betters, enhances, enriches, improves, meliorates, machines, refines, rounds (off or out), shines, touches up
    near: abandons, deserts, discontinues, drops, forsakes, quits

  2. to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

    "we'll finish the concert before dark"

    similar: closes, closes out, completes, concludes, ends, rounds (off or out), terminates, winds up, wraps up, puts paid to (chiefly British), rings down the curtain (on)
    related: climaxes, crowns, consummates, perfects, halts, stops, suspends
    opposite: begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts

  3. to come to an end

    "the three-day race finished yesterday"

    similar: breaks off, breaks up, ceases, closes, concludes, dead-ends, determines, dies, discontinues, elapses, ends, expires, goes, halts, lapses, leaves off, lets up, passes, quits, stops, terminates, winds up, winks (out), bites the dust
    related: desists (from), lays off (of), refrains (from), gives over (British), knocks off, packs (up or in), breaks down, conks (out), cuts out, stalls, pauses, stays, suspends, abates, peters (out), winds down
    opposite: continues, hangs on, persists
    near: draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts

Finishes (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the last part of a process or action

    "a pie-eating contest is the fair's traditional finish"

    similar: cappers, closes, closings, conclusions, consummations, endgames, endings, ends, finales, finises, grand finales, homestretches, mop-ups, windups, wrap-ups
    related: acmes, apexes, capstones, climaxes, copestones, coups de grâce, crescendos, crowns, culminations, high-water marks, meridians, peaks, pinnacles, summits, tip-tops, tops, zeniths, aftermaths, anticlimaxes, codas, epilogues, postscripts, shanks, tag ends, tail ends
    opposite: baselines, beginnings, dawns, day ones, nascences, nascencies, openings, starts
    near: forewords, introductions, overtures, preambles, prefaces, preludes, prologues

  2. the stopping of a process or activity

    "an all-out fight right to the finish"

    similar: arrestments, arrests, ceases, cessations, checks, closedowns, closes, closures, conclusions, cutoffs, discontinuances, discontinuations, endings, ends, expirations, halts, lapses, offsets, shutdowns, shutoffs, stays, stoppages, stops, surceases, terminations
    related: mop-ups, phaseouts, abeyances, breaks, interruptions, layoffs, letups, moratoriums, pauses, standstills, suspensions
    opposite: continuances, continuations
    near: extensions, persistences, prolongations

Related Entry: Finish (verb)

Finish is a different word from Finishes. The synonyms below are for finish, not for finishes.

  1. to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done

    "we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow"

    similar: complete, consummate, finalize, perfect, polish, get through
    related: follow through (with), stick out, accomplish, achieve, effect, carry out, carry through, discharge, do, execute, fulfill, perform, ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, machine, refine, round (off or out), shine, touch up
    near: abandon, desert, discontinue, drop, forsake, quit

  2. to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

    "we'll finish the concert before dark"

    similar: close, close out, complete, conclude, end, round (off or out), terminate, wind up, wrap up, put paid to (chiefly British), ring down the curtain (on)
    related: climax, crown, consummate, perfect, halt, stop, suspend
    opposite: begin, commence, inaugurate, open, start

  3. to come to an end

    "the three-day race finished yesterday"

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out), bite the dust
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

Related Entry: Finish (noun)

Finish is a different word from Finishes. The synonyms below are for finish, not for finishes.

  1. the last part of a process or action

    "a pie-eating contest is the fair's traditional finish"

    similar: capper, close, closing, conclusion, consummation, end, endgame, ending, finale, finis, grand finale, homestretch, mop-up, windup, wrap-up
    related: acme, apex, capstone, climax, copestone, coup de grâce, crescendo, crown, culmination, high-water mark, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, tip-top, top, zenith, aftermath, anticlimax, coda, epilogue, postscript, shank, tag end, tail end
    opposite: baseline, beginning, dawn, day one, nascence, nascency, opening, start
    near: foreword, introduction, overture, preamble, preface, prelude, prologue

  2. the stopping of a process or activity

    "an all-out fight right to the finish"

    similar: arrest, arrestment, cease, cessation, check, close, closedown, closure, conclusion, cutoff, discontinuance, discontinuation, end, ending, expiration, halt, lapse, offset, shutdown, shutoff, stay, stop, stoppage, surcease, termination
    related: mop-up, phaseout, abeyance, break, interruption, layoff, letup, moratorium, pause, standstill, suspension
    opposite: continuance, continuation
    near: extension, persistence, prolongation

Related Entry: Finishes (off) (verb)

Finishes (off) is a different word from Finishes. The synonyms below are for finishes (off), not for finishes.

  1. as in fleshes (out)

    similar: fleshes (out), complements, completes, rounds (off or out), adorns, beautifies, decorates, embellishes, betters, enhances, improves, constitutes, forms, makes up, enriches, perfects

Related Entry: Photo finishes (noun)

Photo finishes is a different word from Finishes. The synonyms below are for photo finishes, not for finishes.

  1. as in squeakers

    similar: squeakers, cliff-hangers, hair-raisers, nail-biters, suspensers, thrillers
    opposite: yawners, blowouts

  2. as in seesaws, dead heats

    similar: dead heats, seesaws, round-robins, rubbers, runoffs, sudden deaths, classics, rallies, volleys, heats, rounds, runs, sets, marathons, races, ultramarathons, biathlons, decathlons, heptathlons, pentathlons, triathlons, derbies, field days, gymkhanas, outings, finals, nightcaps, play-offs, semifinals, championships, nationals

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Finishes

The most common words with a similar meaning to Finishes:

Chiefly British: puts paid to
completes, consummates, finalizes, perfects, polishes, closes, closes out, concludes, ends, rounds (off or out), terminates, winds up, wraps up, breaks off, breaks up, ceases, dead-ends, determines, dies, discontinues, elapses, expires, goes, halts, lapses, leaves off, lets up, passes, quits, stops, winks (out), gets through, rings down the curtain (on), bites the dust, cappers, closings, conclusions, consummations, endgames, endings

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Finishes

Words with the opposite meaning of Finishes:

begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts, continues, hangs on, persists, baselines, beginnings, dawns, day ones, nascences, nascencies, openings, continuances, continuations

Related Words for Finishes

follows through (with), sticks out, accomplishes, achieves, effects, carries out, carries through, discharges, does, executes, fulfills, performs, ameliorates, amends, betters, enhances, enriches, improves, meliorates, machines, refines, shines, touches up, climaxes, crowns, suspends, desists (from), lays off (of), refrains (from), gives over

Near Antonyms of Finishes

abandons, deserts, discontinues, drops, forsakes, quits, draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts, forewords, introductions, overtures, preambles, prefaces, preludes, prologues, extensions, persistences, prolongations

Word Forms of Finishes

Inflections: finished, finishing, finished with, finishing with, finishes with

Derived words: finisher (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Finishes

Middle English finisshen, borrowed from Anglo-French finiss-, stem of finir, going back to Latlin fīnīre "to mark out the boundaries, limit, put an end to, bring to a close," derivative of fīnis "boundary, limit, ending" final:1

First known use: 14th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Finishes

What does "Finishes" mean?

"Finishes" means to come to an end, terminate. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to come to an end, terminate. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Finishes"?

Other words for "Finishes" include completes, consummates, finalizes, perfects, polishes, closes, closes out and concludes. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Finishes" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Finishes"?

There are 137 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Finishes". Common alternatives include completes, consummates, finalizes, perfects, polishes, closes, closes out, concludes, ends and rounds (off or out).

What is the opposite of "Finishes"?

Antonyms of "Finishes" include begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts, continues, hangs on and persists. Near antonyms include abandons, deserts, discontinues and drops.

How do you use "Finishes" in a sentence?

Examples of "Finishes" in a sentence: "we should finish the painting of the house by tomorrow"; "we'll finish the concert before dark"; "the three-day race finished yesterday".

Is "Finishes" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Finishes" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Finishes"?

"Finishes" is pronounced /ˈfi-nish/ as a verb and /ˈger-ə-sən-/ as a noun and divided into syllables as fin·ish.

What is the origin of the word "Finishes"?

"Finishes" comes from Middle English finisshen, borrowed from Anglo-French finiss-, stem of finir, going back to Latlin fīnīre "to mark out the boundaries, limit, put an end to, bring to a close," derivative of fīnis "boundary, limit, ending" final:1. First known use: 14th centuryi.