遂に【ついに】

遂に (ついに) is an adverb meaning "finally", "at last", or "in the end". It is used when something happens after a long period of time, effort, or anticipation. It emphasizes that a result has been reached after a significant process or wait.

Positive outcomes

遂に is very common when a long-awaited or much-desired result is achieved.

Negative outcomes

Unlike やっと (which tends to be used for welcomed results), 遂に can also describe outcomes that are negative or undesirable – things that happened despite one's hopes that they wouldn't.

Unrealized outcomes (遂に～なかった)

遂に can be used with negative verb forms to express that something never happened in the end, despite expectations or efforts.

This pattern emphasizes a sense of disappointment or resignation – that after all the waiting or effort, the expected result did not materialize.

Comparison with やっと and とうとう

• やっと emphasizes relief and is used almost exclusively for positive or welcome outcomes. It often carries a personal, emotional tone:
  やっとおわった終わったきごう！

  It's finally over! (with relief)
• とうとう is very close in meaning to 遂に and can also be used for both positive and negative outcomes. However, とうとう tends to feel slightly more colloquial, while 遂に can sound more dramatic or literary.
• 遂に can be used for both positive and negative results and carries a sense of gravity – that something significant has culminated after a long process.

Usage notes

遂に is typically placed at the beginning of a clause or directly before the verb phrase it modifies. It is written in kanji as ついに遂に in formal writing but very often written in hiragana as ついに in everyday contexts.