complete

adjective

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com·plete | \ kəm-ˈplēt

completer; completest

Definition of complete

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : having all necessary parts, elements, or steps a complete diet

b of a protein : containing all essential amino acids Beans and grains combined together form a complete protein.

2a : total, absolute complete silence

b : fully carried out : thorough a complete renovation

c of a football pass : legally caught

3 : brought to an end : concluded a complete period of time

4 : highly proficient a complete artist

5 of a subject or predicate : including modifiers, complements, or objects

6 of insect metamorphosis : characterized by the occurrence of a pupal stage between the motile immature stages and the adult — compare incomplete sense 3

7 : having all four sets of floral organs

8 of a metric space : having the property that every Cauchy sequence of elements converges to a limit in the space

complete with

: made complete by the inclusion of a birthday cake complete with candles

complete

verb

completed; completing

Definition of complete (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to bring to an end and especially into a perfected state complete a painting

2a : to make whole or perfect Its song completes the charm of the bird. Her latest purchase completes her collection.

b : to mark the end of A rousing chorus completes the show.

c : execute, fulfill complete a contract

3 : to carry out (a forward pass) successfully The quarterback completed 12 out of 18 passes.

Other Words from complete Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing complete Learn More About complete

Other Words from complete

Adjective

completely adverb

completeness noun

completive \ kəm-ˈplē-tiv

\ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for complete

Adjective

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

Verb

close, end, conclude, finish, complete, terminate mean to bring or come to a stopping point or limit. close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished. close a debate end conveys a strong sense of finality. ended his life conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting). the service concluded with a blessing finish may stress completion of a final step in a process. after it is painted, the house will be finished complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken. the resolving of this last issue completes the agreement terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space. your employment terminates after three months

Examples of complete in a Sentence

Adjective He spoke in complete sentences. They sat in complete silence. Verb The project took four months to complete. Her latest purchase completes her collection. The new baby completed their family. The quarterback completed 12 out of 15 passes. See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Originally planned to be complete by mid-2022, the $1.6 million renovation project at Zion Hill Church has been affected by two years of supply chain breakdowns and other issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. — Nicole Bradford, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Aug. 2022 Since then, the T has actually lost ground: the project is now only 65 percent complete, as more slabs have been added to the repair list, said Pesaturo, the T spokesman. — Elizabeth Koh, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2022 If enough fluid leaks, the car could lose partial or complete braking ability, which is dangerous for the driver. — Sasha Richie, Car and Driver, 5 Aug. 2022 Attempts by the tiny rural authority to resist this casual annihilation were in vain; by 1965, work on the reservoir was complete and 16.4 million gallons of water turned Capel Celyn into an underwater graveyard. — Elizabeth Lowry, WSJ, 5 Aug. 2022 Case report forms with additional epidemiologic and clinical information were submitted to the CDC for 41% of those cases, though not all details were complete in all of those forms. — Deidre Mcphillips, CNN, 5 Aug. 2022 The State Department reported last month that nearly 410,000 immigrant visa applicants, whose cases are otherwise complete, still don’t have an interview scheduled. — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2022 Batgirl, the $90 million D.C. Comics movie that was reportedly almost complete. — Paige Mcglauflin, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2022 But Beyoncé stands almost alone in her commitment to developing a total and complete look, then seeking out clothes that augment that reality. — Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 Aug. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb At some locations, the work could take seven months or more to complete because of the need to install new equipment and seek regulatory approval, the company said. — Kim Mackrael, WSJ, 26 July 2022 The process can take two to three days to complete, and most people experience cramping and bleeding heavier than a normal period. — Sony Salzman, ABC News, 19 July 2022 The project, which cost $19 million and will take seven years to complete, is exactly what needs to be done to brace the sequoias against future fires. — Kyle Dickman, Outside Online, 13 July 2022 If fully funded, the project is expected to take between 30 and 36 months to complete, airport spokesman Jim Flowers told the Lede earlier this year. — al, 12 July 2022 Iowa state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are testing to confirm the presence of the infection in the lake, which could take several days to complete. — CBS News, 11 July 2022 Construction is expected to begin as early as next year, depending on financing, and would take about two years to complete. — Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 July 2022 Because the amount of time the Earth takes to spin on its axis is not dependent on the amount of time the Earth takes to complete a full orbit around the sun, the number of 24-hour rotations that fit into a calendar year is not a whole number. — Jacob Livesay, USA TODAY, 24 June 2022 Her clunky old Jeep couldn’t complete the 2-mile trip from her house to the University of Iowa’s outreach clinic in her southeastern Iowa hometown. — Kaiser Health News, CNN, 15 July 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'complete.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About complete

Dictionary Entries Near complete

complementor

complete

complete and utter

Statistics for complete

Last Updated

11 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complete. Accessed 11 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for complete

complete

adjective

com·plete | \ kəm-ˈplēt

Kids Definition of complete

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : having all necessary parts : not lacking anything a complete set of books

2 : entirely done His training is complete.

3 : thorough sense 1 complete darkness

complete

verb

completed; completing

Kids Definition of complete (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to bring to an end : finish complete a job

2 : to make whole or perfect He needs six more state flags to complete his collection.

complete

adjective

com·plete | \ kəm-ˈplēt

Medical Definition of complete

1 of insect metamorphosis : characterized by the occurrence of a pupal stage between the motile immature stages and the adult — compare incomplete sense 1

2 of a bone fracture : characterized by a break passing entirely across the bone — compare incomplete sense 2

3 of a protein : containing all essential amino acids — compare incomplete sense 4