This paper investigates the problem of adaptive finite-time tracking control for strict-feedback nonlinear continuous-time systems subject to full state constraints and dead-zone. By utilizing the finite-time stability theory, barrier Lyapunov functions and the adaptive backstepping method, a novel adaptive tracking control strategy is proposed. On the basis of the presented method, the finite-time control problem of the nonlinear system with dead-zone is solved. The finite-time controller is designed such that all the signals in the closed-loop system are bounded, the output is driven to track the reference signal to a small neighborhood and all states are ensured to remain in the predefined compact sets. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is verified via some simulation results. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.