replete

adjective

re·​plete ri-ˈplēt 

1

: fully or abundantly provided or filled

… a book replete with … delicious details …

—William Safire

2

a

: abundantly fed

b

: fat, stout

3

: complete

repleteness noun

Did you know?

It’s no coincidence that replete and complete are close in meaning. Both words come from the Latin verb plēre, meaning "to fill," and both indicate that something contains all that is wanted, needed, or possible. There are some subtle differences in usage, however. Complete applies when all that is needed is present ("a complete picture of the situation"), whereas replete is the synonym of choice when fullness is accompanied by a sense of satiety ("the buffet was replete with dishes from all over the world"). Etymology fans may be interested to know that the list of plēre descendants doesn't end with these two; English is in fact replete with them. Some other words supplied by this Latin verb include deplete, expletive, implement, and supply.

Synonyms of replete

• plump
• full
• round
• fat

Choose the Right Synonym for replete

full, complete, plenary, replete mean containing all that is wanted or needed or possible.

full implies the presence or inclusion of everything that is wanted or required by something or that can be held, contained, or attained by it.

a full schedule

complete applies when all that is needed is present.

a complete picture of the situation

plenary adds to complete the implication of fullness without qualification.

given plenary power

replete implies being filled to the brim or to satiety.

replete with delightful details

Examples of replete in a Sentence

The book is replete with photographs.

The country's history is replete with stories of people who became successful by working hard.

Recent Examples on the Web

Viktor Orbán is running an aggressive media campaign replete with disinformation whose central message is that Hungarians should refuse to align with the rest of Europe in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. —Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026

What little remains of Sanders’ work has been handed down amongst his friends via an inch thick manila folder filled with yellowing and crumpled papers, replete with handwritten notes, occasional diagrams by Sanders, and more than a few mouse droppings littering the pages. —Kevin Foster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2026

Winter and even hurricane history is replete with bungled responses in cities like New York, where former Mayor Michael Bloomberg famously dismissed the threat posed by Superstorm Sandy once it was no longer formally referred to as a hurricane. —Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026

Though the region of the Milky Way called the Galactic Center is expected to be replete with pulsars, spotting them is challenging because of how extreme, turbulent, and densely packed the heart of our galaxy is. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English replet, replete, repleet "filled (with), filled with food or drink, sated, having an excess of humors," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French replet "filled," borrowed from Latin replētus "full (of), fully endowed (with)," from past participle of replēre "to make full again, replenish, restore, fill up, sate," from re- re- + plēre "to fill" — more at full entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for replete

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

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Kids Definition

replete

adjective

re·​plete ri-ˈplēt 

1

: fully or well provided or filled

a book replete with illustrations

2

: well fed

repleteness noun