What it means
結局 is an adverb meaning “ultimately” or “in the end.” It is used when stating the final result or conclusion after considering what happened before, often with an implication that the outcome was different from what was expected or that the process took some time. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence or before the main predicate.
Usage note
結局 focuses on the final outcome, while 最後に usually refers to the last step in a sequence or the final item mentioned. 結局 is not itself a plain or polite ending, so the surrounding sentence determines the register.
Example sentences
結局、古い机を修理して使うことにした。
In the end, I decided to repair the old desk and use it.
結局、雨が強くなったので、試合は来週に延期された。
In the end, because the rain became heavy, the match was postponed until next week.
何度も話し合った結果