finishing

USAGE SUMMARY

"finishing" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to indicate the act of ending or completing something. Example: I am finishing up the project, and then we can send it off.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

First for 2010 is the Amber Route, a 1,940-mile 1,940-mileSt Pepicsburg to Venice tracing the old amber trading route across the Baltic States, then through Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and Slovenia, befrom finiSting in Venice.

The Guardian - Travel

From around £88pp for a two-day/one night trip, including full board and excursions ([phone], bhayacruises.com) Voyages Jules Verne has a new trip for 2011: a cruise right around Cuba, starting and finishing in Havana.

The Guardian - Travel

Rudisha broke his own world record, becoming the first man in history to run two laps of the track in under 1 min 41 seconds, finishing in 1 40 91.

The Guardian - Sport

His range of attributes – technical ability, finishing and relentless pressing – are well‑suited to the manager's designs for the team.

The Guardian - Sport

While the practice has mainly been restricted to finishing off performances of actors who died midway through filming – such as Paul Walker in Fast and Furious 7 – it has also been utilised by advertisers, keen to attach famous faces to their brands.

The Guardian

Jake Stringer was the Bulldogs' most prominent attacker, missing several chances but finishing with 3.3.

The Guardian - Sport

New this year is an adventure in and around the Binevenagh area of outstanding natural beauty, with kayaking on the Roe river and mountain biking on Binevenagh mountain, finishing on the shore below iconic Mussenden Temple.

The Guardian - Travel

In keeping with the responsible persona that won over grandmas across the country during his Idol run, McCreery is currently finishing college at North Carolina State University and using his summer breaks to go on tour.

The Guardian - Music

"I haven't really been working on my finishing, though I would always practise.

The Guardian - Sport

The nation has been treated to unprecedented sporting success, too, finishing fourth in the final medal table with 19 golds.

The Guardian - Sport

But they simply ran out of time, with forward Jay Schulz finishing with six goals in a fine effort.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "finishing", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being completed. Providing specific details enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "finishing" when the task is not fully completed. "Finishing" implies a state of finality; using it prematurely can mislead the audience.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "finishing" is that of a present participle or gerund, often used to indicate an ongoing action or process of completing something. Ludwig confirms this versatile usage with numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Sports

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "finishing" is a versatile term primarily functioning as a verb, denoting the act of completing something. Ludwig AI highlights its widespread use across various contexts, from News & Media to Formal & Business settings, with a neutral register suitable for most communication scenarios. Given that it is grammaticaly correct, it is important to ensure that its usage is appropriate to the degree of completion of the action and that the context clarifies what is being brought to a close. Common alternatives include "completing", "concluding", and "finalizing", each subtly shifting the emphasis of the completion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completing

Emphasizes the action of bringing something to a close, similar to "finishing".

concluding

Focuses on the act of bringing something to an end, closely related to "finishing".

finalizing

Highlights the act of making something final or complete, akin to "finishing".

wrapping up

Suggests bringing something to a conclusion in a casual or informal way, similar to "finishing".

bringing to a close

Emphasizes the act of concluding a process or activity, comparable to "finishing".

putting the final touches

Highlights the last adjustments or details added to complete something, related to "finishing".

reaching the end

Focuses on arriving at the termination point of something, related to "finishing".

putting an end to

Indicates the act of terminating something, similar to "finishing".

ceasing

Implies stopping or discontinuing something, which can be related to "finishing".

terminating

Emphasizes the formal act of ending something, less common but related to "finishing".

FAQs

How to use "finishing" in a sentence?

You can use "finishing" to describe the act of completing something, as in "I am "finishing the report"" or "She is "finishing her degree"".

What can I say instead of "finishing"?

You can use alternatives like "completing", "concluding", or "finalizing" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "finishing" or "finished"?

The choice between "finishing" and "finished" depends on the grammatical structure of the sentence. "Finishing" is a present participle or gerund (e.g., "I am finishing"), while "finished" is a past participle or adjective (e.g., "I have finished" or "the finished product").

What's the difference between "finishing" and "ending"?

"Finishing" implies completing a task or process, while "ending" simply means bringing something to a stop. You might say you are "finishing a project" but "ending a relationship".