When it comes to describing a pre-final state, there are several synonyms that can be used instead of "just before the final." For instance, the term "penultimate" is often employed to refer to the second-to-last stage of a process or event. "Pre-ultimate," "second-last," "near-final," and "semi-final" also work well to express the same idea. Moreover, "approaching the final," "nearing the end," and "on the cusp of the final" are additional options to communicate the same notion. Overall, there are various ways to express the concept of "just before the final," all of which add depth and nuance to the language.