Standard Lemma guide

finalize

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfaɪ.nə.laɪz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F AY1 N AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make final or firm; to finish or complete.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • As soon as we get the plane tickets, we'll finalize our reservations with the hotel.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To prepare (an object) for garbage collection by calling its finalizer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make final; put the last touches on; put into final form

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • let's finalize the proposal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: finalise, settle, nail down

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: end, terminate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English final Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English finalize From final + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أَنْهَى (ʔanhā) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Bulgarian: довъ́ршвам (dovǎ́ršvam) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Bulgarian: приклю́чвам (prikljúčvam) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Bulgarian: приклю́ча (prikljúča) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Czech: dokončit — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Finnish: viimeistellä — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • French: achever — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • French: finir — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • French: finaliser — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Hungarian: véglegesít — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Hungarian: végső formába önt — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Italian: finire — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Italian: finalizzare — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Italian: concludere — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Macedonian: привршува (privršuva) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Macedonian: приврши (privrši) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Russian: закончить (zakončitʹ) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Russian: финализировать (finalizirovatʹ) — to make final or firm; to finish or complete
  • Spanish: finalizar — to make final or firm; to finish or complete