Definition

A person who competes in the last stage of a competition or contest.

Example

She was thrilled to be a finalist in the singing competition.

Conversation

Did you hear about the talent show last night?

Yeah! I heard the finalist had an amazing performance.

I can't believe I missed it; I wanted to see the finalist sing.

You should catch the highlights online; it was really impressive!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Finalist → It is formed from "final" (from Latin "finalis", meaning pertaining to the end) and "-ist" (meaning a person who). A finalist is a person who has reached the end stage of a competition.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who is at the 'end' ('final') of a competition — the '-ist' just means a person. This helps you remember that a finalist is someone who has made it to the final stage.

Visually Confused Words