auto-complete
noun
au·to-com·plete
ˈȯ-(ˌ)tō-kəm-ˈplēt 
variants
or autocomplete
: a feature found in many computer programs (such as those used for data entry, email editing, Internet searches, or word processing) that attempts to predict and automatically complete the current word or phrase as it is being entered by the program's user
Examples of auto-complete in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump accused Google of censoring auto-complete suggestions related to the shooting.
—
Emily Price, PCMAG, 3 Aug. 2024
From Amazon product suggestions to Google auto-complete, AI has invaded nearly every aspect of our lives.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Even adding auto-complete to Apple’s developer tools would be a desirable feature.
—Michael Muchmore, PCMAG, 5 June 2024
With a bevy of helpful quality of life features like code auto-complete, collaboration tools and more, Microsoft's first 64-bit IDE is powerful and efficient.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 31 May 2024
Make sure customers can search by category, SKU or use-case, and consider adding an auto-complete function to quickly populate the search box with product suggestions as a user starts to type.
2.
—Yoav Kutner, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
In the case of our magic auto-complete, a more correct answer means output text that is more likely to follow the input.
—Haomiao Huang, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2023
Further improvements to the user interface—including the kind of auto-complete software that’s standard on smartphones—should boost performance dramatically.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2017
Google’s auto-complete suggestions in Gmail, for example, have been found to express a more positive sentiment overall than what many people would naturally express if left to simply write on their own.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 16 May 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Emily Price, PCMAG, 3 Aug. 2024
From Amazon product suggestions to Google auto-complete, AI has invaded nearly every aspect of our lives.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Even adding auto-complete to Apple’s developer tools would be a desirable feature.
—Michael Muchmore, PCMAG, 5 June 2024
With a bevy of helpful quality of life features like code auto-complete, collaboration tools and more, Microsoft's first 64-bit IDE is powerful and efficient.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 31 May 2024
Make sure customers can search by category, SKU or use-case, and consider adding an auto-complete function to quickly populate the search box with product suggestions as a user starts to type.
2.
—Yoav Kutner, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
In the case of our magic auto-complete, a more correct answer means output text that is more likely to follow the input.
—Haomiao Huang, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2023
Further improvements to the user interface—including the kind of auto-complete software that’s standard on smartphones—should boost performance dramatically.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2017
Google’s auto-complete suggestions in Gmail, for example, have been found to express a more positive sentiment overall than what many people would naturally express if left to simply write on their own.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 16 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Auto-complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auto-complete. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share