finalist

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person or team that has reached the final stage of a competition.

   Grammar: Use it for one competitor: a finalist; plural finalists for two or more.

   Patterns

   • a finalist in something
   • reach the final as a finalist
   • one of the finalists

   She became the youngest finalist in the history of the tournament.

   The four finalists will compete again next Saturday.

   He was a finalist in the national spelling bee.

2. 2nouncountableAmerican

   A student who has completed all the work for a degree but still needs to pass the last examination or requirement.

   Grammar: Often used in academic contexts, especially in the US: a finalist for a degree.

   Patterns

   • a finalist for a degree
   • be a finalist in something

   As a finalist, she only had to submit her thesis to graduate.

   The university sent transcripts to all finalists who applied.

Word forms

Common combinations

reach the final as a finalist

The team reached the final as a finalist after a close semifinal.

a finalist in a competition

He was a finalist in the cooking competition.

one of the finalists

She is one of the finalists for the scholarship.

a finalist for an award

The film was a finalist for several major awards.

become a finalist

After months of training, he became a finalist.

Synonyms and how they differ

contender

A contender is anyone competing for a prize, while a finalist has specifically reached the last round.

qualifier

A qualifier has earned a place in a later stage, but not necessarily the final.

Word family

final noun

The last and most important match or round of a competition.

finalize verb

To complete the last details of something.

Commonly confused: finalist or final?

Practice

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