At last vs Eventually

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

At last

Top 2,000 (common)

Eventually

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adverb

	At last	Eventually
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ət lɑːst// 🇺🇸 //ət læst//	🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈventʃuəli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈventʃuəli/"]/
Meaning	Finally after a long time waiting.	In the end; after a period of time.
Example	I finished my project, and at last, I can relax.	Our flight eventually left five hours late.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	B1
Part of speech		adverb
Collocations	at last, a resolution, at last, the moment, at last, the truth	eventually arrive, eventually lead to, eventually happen
Antonyms	-	immediately, instantly, now
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.
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.

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

Frequently asked questions: At last vs Eventually

What's the difference between At last and Eventually?

At last: Finally after a long time waiting. Eventually: In the end; after a period of time.

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.

Can I use At last and Eventually interchangeably?

Not always. At last and Eventually 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.