finalize
verb
D. D. EisenhowerNewsweek
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
Janelle Ash, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025
Robach and Holmes' divorces were finalized in 2023, and Shue and Fiebig have since started dating each other.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
But that deal was never finalized as Zelenskyy left Washington shortly after the tense episode at the White House.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2025
The attorney representing the county declined to comment on the settlement to McClatchy News as the settlement was not finalized as of March 10.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finalize
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Cite this Entry
“Finalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finalize. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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