final say
14
4.0
- noun
:
última palabra
- We all want what's best for kids, but when there's a disagreement about what is best, who should have the final say, parents or politicians?
You have the final say on that and also schooling, you have the final say on what school they go to.
- You have the final say on that and also schooling, you have the final say on what school they go to.
- A government taking us out, but Parliament's got to have the final say on this.
- Yes, This moment does not have the final say on my life or the life of my community.
- And it, it started the inversion of our, of our culture now where youth has the sort of final say in things and adults are kind of an afterthought.
- But they shouldn't be where you get your final say so from.
- So as you know, firstly, having published your own book, we often don't have a lot of latitude in the very final say of what goes on the cover.
Examples
-
But in the end, I have the final say over what happens.
Blog text (13) -
You must have the final say in this matter.
Fiction book (1996) -
We the people still have the final say on who will be the president come November.
Blog text (5) -
We want to have the final say in how our circumstances turn out.
Blog text (7) -
We have the final say on where she goes.
Fiction book (1996) -
The judges had the final say on who would be eliminated and who would remain.
Blog text (4) -
The council will have the final say on whether to designate landmark status.
Blog text (16) -
The judges/mentors would have the final say over who would fill the last slot in their respective teams.
Blog text (18) -
The teacher explained that the principal has the final say on all school policies.
-
In disputes about budget cuts, the board has the final say on how funds are allocated.
Synonyms
87
5.6
Permission that a person in charge gives to do something
13
4.6
A final decision or ruling that ends a matter
How Authoritative
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derived from 'final' (last, conclusive) combined with 'say' (a voice or opportunity to participate in decisions), so 'final say' naturally conveys the last or ultimate decision. This compositional pattern is common in English and mirrors equivalents in many languages (e.g. Spanish 'última palabra'), making it readily understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.
Etymology
Final say comes from the simple image of a meeting where many people speak but one person gets the last words—the say that closes the discussion. So having the final say means having the 'final decision' or the last power to decide.