At last vs Eventually vs Finally vs In the end vs Ultimately

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

At last

Top 2,000 (common)

Eventually

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adverb

Finally

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adverb

In the end

Top 2,000 (common)

Ultimately

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adverb

Most common: Finally

	At last	Eventually	Finally	In the end	Ultimately
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ət lɑːst// 🇺🇸 //ət læst//	🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈventʃuəli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈventʃuəli/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈfaɪnəli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈfaɪnəli/"]/	🇬🇧 //ɪn ði ɛnd// 🇺🇸 //ɪn ði ɛnd//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈʌltɪmətli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈʌltɪmətli/"]/
Meaning	Finally after a long time waiting.	In the end; after a period of time.	At last; after a long wait.	Finally or at the conclusion.	In the end; finally.
Example	I finished my project, and at last, I can relax.	Our flight eventually left five hours late.	After hours of waiting, she finally arrived at the party.	In the end, we decided to go with the original plan.	A poor diet will **ultimately lead to** illness.
Register	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	B1	A2	-	B2
Part of speech		adverb	adverb		adverb
Collocations	at last, a resolution, at last, the moment, at last, the truth	eventually arrive, eventually lead to, eventually happen	finally arriving, finally finished, finally ready, finally resolved, finally discovered	in the end result, in the end decision, in the end analysis	ultimately responsible, ultimately decide, ultimately lead to
Antonyms	-	immediately, instantly, now	initially, first	-	initially, first, at the beginning
Common mistakes	Confusing with 'at least'; they have different meanings., Using in very formal writing where simpler alternatives may fit better.	Using 'eventually' when the action is immediate or certain., Confusing it with 'eventual,' which refers to the final outcome rather than the process leading to it., Incorrectly placing it at the beginning of a sentence without a comma.	'Finally' is sometimes confused with 'eventually', but 'finally' implies completion., Learners often use 'finally' too early; it should come after the delay or wait is described., Placing 'finally' at the beginning of a sentence can sound awkward in informal contexts.	Using it too early in a sentence., Confusing it with 'at the end' which refers to a specific time rather than a conclusion.	'Ultimately' is often misused when the context is not about finality., Learners may confuse 'ultimately' with 'eventually' but they are not exactly the same., Overusing 'ultimately' in casual speech can sound pretentious.
Usage notes	Use 'at last' to express relief or joy when something finally happens. It's neutral and works in both spoken and written contexts.	Commonly used to suggest that something will happen after a delay. Avoid in very formal writing or when expressing immediate actions.	Use 'finally' to indicate that something has happened after a delay or difficulty. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but avoid it in very formal writing.	Use in storytelling or when summarizing. It connects ideas and indicates the final outcome; avoid in formal writing.	Use 'ultimately' to emphasize the final outcome of a situation. It is not suitable for casual or informal conversations.

See it in real clips

At last.

At last

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

And, like maggots, if left to swell they will eventually swarm like flies

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Eventually, I caught her looking over at me,

House Of Cards › S1 E1

Eventually, I'll have to re-write the bill myself.

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

And, like maggots, if left to swell they will eventually swarm like flies

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Eventually, I caught her looking over at me,

Eventually

Agent Carter › S1 E1

That bouncer from the broom closet finally came to.

Ted Lasso › S1 E1

It is so good to finally meet you both face-to-face.

Friends › S1 E1

- He finally asked you out? - Yes.

Agent Carter › S1 E1

That bouncer from the broom closet finally came to.

Ted Lasso › S1 E1

It is so good to finally meet you both face-to-face.

Finally

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

In the end,

In the end

Frequently asked questions: At last vs Eventually vs Finally vs In the end vs Ultimately

What's the difference between At last, Eventually, Finally, In the end, and Ultimately?

At last: Finally after a long time waiting. Eventually: In the end; after a period of time. Finally: At last; after a long wait. In the end: Finally or at the conclusion. Ultimately: In the end; finally.

Which is more common: At last, Eventually, Finally, In the end, and Ultimately?

Finally is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: At last, Eventually, Finally, In the end, and Ultimately?

Ultimately is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

At last: I finished my project, and at last, I can relax. Eventually: Our flight eventually left five hours late. Finally: After hours of waiting, she finally arrived at the party. In the end: In the end, we decided to go with the original plan. Ultimately: A poor diet will **ultimately lead to** illness.

Can I use At last, Eventually, Finally, In the end, and Ultimately interchangeably?

Not always. At last, Eventually, Finally, In the end, and Ultimately are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.