noun Common

finishing

FIH-nih-shihng

Finishing (noun) means the act or process of completing something, or the final details added to perfect it. Example: “The carpenter added the finishing touches to the cabinet.”

noun

The act or process of completing something, or the final details added to perfect it.

"The carpenter added the finishing touches to the cabinet."

In sport, a player's ability to convert chances into goals.

"The striker's finishing was clinical all season."

How to use finishing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCompleting something, or (in football) the skill of scoring.

Common pairings

finishing touches clinical finishing finishing school

Word forms

finishings plural

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The carpenter added the _____ touches to the cabinet.

Synonyms

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completion conclusion completing perfecting culmination finalizing

Related words

end decision complete beginning finish finding ending conclusion

Rhymes for finishing

fishing dishing phishing swishing vanishing perishing punishing polishing ravishing nourishing publishing furnishing

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Frequently asked questions

What does “finishing” mean?

The word “finishing” means the act or process of completing something, or the final details added to perfect it. In plain terms, completing something, or (in football) the skill of scoring.

How do you pronounce “finishing”?

“Finishing” is pronounced FIH-nih-shihng (/ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “finishing” in a sentence?

Here is “finishing” used in a sentence: “The carpenter added the finishing touches to the cabinet.”

What part of speech is “finishing”?

“Finishing” is a noun.

Is “finishing” a common word?

“Finishing” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “finishing” have?

“Finishing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act or process of completing something, or the final details added to perfect it.

What is the difference between "finishing" and "ending"?

"Finishing" stresses the process of completing something or adding the final details to perfect it, as in "finishing the report." "Ending" refers more to the point or way something stops, so a story has an ending, while you focus on finishing a task.

What are common collocations with "finishing"?

Common phrases include "finishing touches," "finishing line," "finishing school," and "clinical finishing." These span both the sense of completing work and the sporting sense of scoring.

What are "finishing touches"?

"Finishing touches" are the small final details added to complete or perfect something, such as decoration, styling, or wording. The phrase highlights the last stage that brings a piece of work to a polished state.

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Vocabulary lists that include finishing:

9 letter words Words that start with F Words that end with G The 5000 most common English words

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