finalize
verb
fi·nal·ize
ˈfī-nə-ˌlīz 
finalized; finalizing
1
: to put in final or finished form
soon my conclusion will be finalized—
D. D. Eisenhower
D. D. Eisenhower2
: to give final approval to
finalizing the papers prepared … by his staff—Newsweek
Newsweek
Usage of Finalize
Finalize has been frequently castigated as an unnecessary neologism or as U.S. government gobbledygook. It appears to have first gained currency in Australia (where it has been acceptable all along) in the early 1920s. The U.S. Navy picked it up in the late 20s, and from there it came into widespread use. It is a standard formation (see -ize). Currently, it is most frequently used in government and business dealings; it usually is not found in belles-lettres.
Examples of finalize in a Sentence
They are finalizing their divorce this week.
We bought our tickets and finalized our vacation plans.
Recent Examples on the Web
The week before the draft usually brings additional information as teams begin to finalize their draft boards, whether through prospect visits or more information leaking out.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Cleveland, much like Boston and Oklahoma City before them, finalized their season sweep against the Knicks.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
Last year, Denver finalized massive extensions for right guard Quinn Meinerz in mid-July and for cornerback Pat Surtain II the week of the Broncos’ season opener.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
BlackRock in October finalized its purchase of investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners, or GIP.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finalize
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Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Cleveland, much like Boston and Oklahoma City before them, finalized their season sweep against the Knicks.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
Last year, Denver finalized massive extensions for right guard Quinn Meinerz in mid-July and for cornerback Pat Surtain II the week of the Broncos’ season opener.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
BlackRock in October finalized its purchase of investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners, or GIP.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finalize
Cite this Entry
“Finalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finalize. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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