At last vs Finally

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

At last

Top 2,000 (common)

Finally

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adverb

Most common: Finally

	At last	Finally
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ət lɑːst// 🇺🇸 //ət læst//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈfaɪnəli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈfaɪnəli/"]/
Meaning	Finally after a long time waiting.	At last; after a long wait.
Example	I finished my project, and at last, I can relax.	After hours of waiting, she finally arrived at the party.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	A2
Part of speech		adverb
Collocations	at last, a resolution, at last, the moment, at last, the truth	finally arriving, finally finished, finally ready, finally resolved, finally discovered
Antonyms	-	initially, first
Common mistakes	Confusing with 'at least'; they have different meanings., Using in very formal writing where simpler alternatives may fit better.	'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.
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.	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.

See it in real clips

At last.

At last

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

Frequently asked questions: At last vs Finally

What's the difference between At last and Finally?

At last: Finally after a long time waiting. Finally: At last; after a long wait.

Which is more common: At last and Finally?

Finally is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

At last: I finished my project, and at last, I can relax. Finally: After hours of waiting, she finally arrived at the party.

Can I use At last and Finally interchangeably?

Not always. At last and Finally 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.