complete

1 of 3

adjective

com·​plete kəm-ˈplēt 

completer; completest

1

a

: 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.

2

a

: 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

completely adverb

completeness noun

completive

kəm-ˈplē-tiv 

adjective

see also:

complete with

complete

2 of 3

verb

completed; completing

transitive verb

1

: to bring to an end and especially into a perfected state

complete a painting

2

a

: 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.

completeness

3 of 3

noun

com·​plete·​ness

kəm-ˈplēt-nəs

plural -es

1

: the quality or state of being complete

2

of an axiomatized system of logic : the state of being so constituted that a contradiction arises through the addition of any formula not previously deducible from the axioms of the system

Synonyms of complete

Adjective

• entire
• whole
• full
• comprehensive
• total
• perfect

Verb

• finish

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ashton's journey from moving bins to cleaning them demonstrates that a complete roadmap isn't necessary; curiosity and taking the next step are crucial. — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Marcus reconnects with his father and is able to give him a delicious meal, complete with that candle that ended up being a receptacle for the hot caramel sauce that gives this episode its name. — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026

Verb

Vacaville completed a preliminary polling on Measure V in November 2025, which revealed that 48% of voters favored the sales tax increase. — Steve Large, CBS News, 26 June 2026

First came a federal court settlement requiring 1,200 units to be built (about half are now completed), then a second lawsuit resulted in an order to add 2,500 more, a ruling now under appeal. — Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English complet, compleet, complete, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French complet, borrowed from Latin complētus, past participle of complēre "to fill, make up, carry to completion," from com- com- + plēre "to fill" — more at full entry 1

Note: The simplex plēre is only attested in an inscription of 176/77 A.D., as a gerund, and in a comment of the grammarian Sextus Pompeius Festus, that "the ancients also used to say plentur without prefixes" ("plentur antiqui etiam sine praepositionibus dicebant"). If such a verb existed, it was replaced at an early date by prefixed compounds such as complēre, in which the prefix marks perfective aspect.

Verb

Middle English completen, derivative of complet complete entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing complete

• auto-complete
• come as a (complete/total) surprise
• complete and utter
• complete fertilizer
• complete with
• make a complete/full recovery
• undivided/full/complete attention

Rhymes for complete

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

Kids Definition

complete

1 of 2 adjective

com·​plete kəm-ˈplēt 

completer; completest

1

: possessing all necessary parts : entire

a complete set of books

a complete diet

2

: brought to an end : having been completed

five complete days

3

: being such to the fullest degree : thorough, absolute

complete freedom

a complete failure

4

of a football pass : legally caught

completely adverb

completeness noun

complete

2 of 2 verb

completed; completing

1

: to bring to an end : accomplish or achieve fully

complete a job

2

: to make whole or perfect

the shoes complete the outfit

Medical Definition

complete

adjective

com·​plete kəm-ˈplēt 

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