perfect

adjective per·fect \ ˈpər-fikt \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of perfect

1 a : being entirely without fault or defect : flawless

a perfect diamond

b : satisfying all requirements : accurate

c : corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept

a perfect gentleman

d : faithfully reproducing the original; specifically : letter-perfect

e : legally valid

2 : expert, proficient

practice makes perfect

3 a : pure, total

b : lacking in no essential detail : complete

c obsolete : sane

d : absolute, unequivocal

enjoys perfect happiness

e : of an extreme kind : unmitigated

a perfect brat

an act of perfect foolishness

4 obsolete : mature

5 : of, relating to, or constituting a verb form or verbal that expresses an action or state completed at the time of speaking or at a time spoken of

6 obsolete

a : certain, sure

b : contented, satisfied

7 of a musical interval : belonging to the consonances unison, fourth, fifth, and octave which become augmented or diminished when raised or lowered by a half step

8 a : sexually mature and fully differentiated

a perfect insect

b : having both stamens and pistils in the same flower

a perfect flower

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perfectness

play \ˈpər-fik(t)-nəs\ noun

See perfect defined for English-language learners

See perfect defined for kids

Examples of perfect in a Sentence

He drew a perfect circle.
She's a perfect baby. She hardly cries and she sleeps through the night.
His behavior is a perfect example of what not to do.
This is a perfect time to have a wedding.
Going to the museum was a perfect way to spend a rainy day.
“Is that a big enough piece of pie?” “Yes, it's perfect, thanks.”

Recent Examples of perfect from the Web

The following 7 no-cook lunch ideas are perfect for weekends like that.

— christine byrne, SELF, "7 Easy No-Cook Lunch Ideas You Can Pack for Work," 7 May 2018
In that way, North is the perfect pick for the NRA, which has effectively become the paramilitary wing of a an increasingly fringe-friendly GOP.

— benjamin hart, Daily Intelligencer, "NRA Announces Gunrunning Lawbreaker As New President," 7 May 2018
If trolling is the province of the executive branch, subtweeting is perfect for the above-the-fray, autonomous men and women of the judiciary.

— jason pontin, WIRED, "Donald Trump and the Golden Age of Subtweeting," 4 May 2018
Shrimp tacos are perfect for Cinco de Mayo or any other night because shrimp cooks up in minutes on the grill or in a grill pan.

— samantha cassetty, NBC News, "13 healthier Mexican recipes for your Cinco de Mayo party," 4 May 2018
Retzer Nature Center, Waukesha All the trails at this free nature center are loops less than 1 mile — perfect for young kids.

— chelsey lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "5 kid-friendly hikes under 2 miles in the Milwaukee area," 4 May 2018
There's a sale on affordable camping gear, perfect for summer.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Today's Best Deals: Upgrade Your Audio With This Bose Sale," 1 May 2018
This deal is perfect for coupon clippers looking to cut down their grocery bill!

— Detroit Free Press, "Save on Your Grocery Shopping," 30 Apr. 2018
Sarah Sanders burns facts and then uses them to create the perfect smokey eye.

— megan garber, The Atlantic, "The Slow, Awkward Death of the White House Correspondents' Dinner," 29 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of perfect

Middle English parfit, from Anglo-French, from Latin perfectus, from past participle of perficere to carry out, perfect, from per- thoroughly + facere to make, do — more at do

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

perfect Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of perfect

perfect, whole, entire, intact mean not lacking or faulty in any particular. perfect implies the soundness and the excellence of every part, element, or quality of a thing frequently as an unattainable or theoretical state.

- a perfect set of teeth

whole suggests a completeness or perfection that can be sought, gained, or regained.

- felt like a whole person again after vacation

entire implies perfection deriving from integrity, soundness, or completeness of a thing.

- the entire Beethoven corpus

intact implies retention of perfection of a thing in its natural or original state.

- the boat survived the storm intact

perfect

verb per·fect \ pər-ˈfekt also ˈpər-fikt \

Definition of perfect

transitive verb

1 : to bring to final form

2 : to make perfect : improve, refine

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perfecter

noun

See perfect defined for English-language learners

Examples of perfect in a Sentence

perfected the arrangements for their long-awaited European vacation
an art teacher who seems to believe that you can always perfect a painting with some additional brush strokes

Recent Examples of perfect from the Web

The company’s expectations of its employees are high: a fanatic focus on customer service, dedication to perfect quality, high personal integrity, and a strong commitment to teamwork.

— jessica levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "At HUSCO International, great leadership starts at the top," 4 May 2018
Operations manager Matt McDole said owner Brooke Vaughn spent hours perfecting her recipe before opening her first coffee shop on East Market Street.

— bailey loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "Eat like a true Louisvillian: These are the 5 foods all Kentucky Derby visitors must try," 30 Apr. 2018
The world’s largest network of dancers, the Youth America Grand Prix, had gathered the most promising names in ballet from around the world to work with masters to perfect their craft.

— zachary weiss, Vogue, "Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Support Young Ballet Talent at the 2018 YAGP Gala," 20 Apr. 2018
Popular with honeymooners and families, Meno is quiet, untamed by major resorts (yet), and perfect for a day off the grid after hiking through Rinjani National Park.

— sebastian modak, Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Days in Lombok, Indonesia," 16 Apr. 2018
Using a new building material is a departure for the company, which has spent nearly 90 years perfecting aluminum construction.

— jack stewart, WIRED, "Airstream's New Baby Trailer is Less Pretty, More Practical," 12 Apr. 2018
He would be challenged, pressured and confused by defenses that have spent the past five months perfecting their methods of deception.

— marcus hayes, Philly.com, "Markelle Fultz's best position for Sixers: Spectator | Marcus Hayes," 21 Mar. 2018
The Grill has been open for almost a year now, and Rath still spends the vast majority of her waking hours there, training staff, perfecting dishes, making sure the restaurant is not only keeping up with its exacting standards, but progressing.

— priya krishna, Bon Appetit, "You Need to Know Ashley Rath, the Powerhouse Chef Behind The Grill," 12 Feb. 2018
These tunes are happy, harmonious, and perfect for dancing.

— jeremy hallock, star-telegram, "Race riots. Motown. Jubilee revisits the long, hot summer of ’67," 1 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of perfect

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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perfect Synonyms

Synonyms

ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, help, improve, meliorate, refine, upgrade;

Antonyms

worsen;

Near Antonyms

damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, spoil, tarnish, vitiate;

blemish, blight, deface, disfigure, flaw, mar;

diminish, lessen, lower, reduce;

edit, fine-tune, redraft, refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, revamp, revise, rework;

beef (up), boost, fortify, intensify, reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen;

fine, hone, polish;

retouch, touch up;

perfect

noun per·fect \ ˈpər-fikt \

Definition of perfect

: the perfect tense of a language; also : a verb form in the perfect tense

See perfect defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of perfect from the Web

The weather was crisp in the morning and perfect at the green flag.

— joseph goodman, AL.com, "Saving American muscle is NASCAR's future," 30 Apr. 2018
Upholstery Tool This attachment is wide and sometimes has a lint-catching fabric strip perfect for coaxing dust from sofas, chairs, mattresses, and cushions. 4.

— amy roberts, Good Housekeeping, "Every Vacuum Attachment, Demystified," 17 June 2014
While some look askance at produce that isn’t picture-perfect, Megan Klein saw opportunity.

— kristine m. kierzek, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Former Milwaukee resident, DSHA student leaves law career behind to connect folks with farm food," 20 Apr. 2018
The sweep against the Nittany Lions kept Michigan perfect in Big Ten play and stretched the program’s winning streak to six matches.

— sam brief, chicagotribune.com, "College notes: Brienne Minor, Chiara Lommer pace Michigan women's tennis," 5 Apr. 2018
Also making a splash is none other than 50 First Dates, a rom-com perfect for a night in with popcorn.

— brianna wiest, Teen Vogue, "Netflix Arrivals March 2018," 23 Feb. 2018
The owner bakes yard-long loaves of bread and cures Spanish ham himself; then slices it to order, making salty, flavorful sandwiches (140 pesos) that are the perfect late afternoon snack.

— New York Times, "36 Hours in Mendoza, Argentina," 22 Feb. 2018
Great teams know how to win big games, and this week was proof perfect of it.

— juan pimiento, chicagotribune.com, "Real Madrid, Juve advance in Champions League and the best of the week in soccer," 8 Mar. 2018
Nationally, less than one-tenth of 1 perfect of all students who take the ACT earn a score of 36.

— cincinnati enquirer, Cincinnati.com, "Highlands High School junior earns perfect ACT score," 28 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of perfect

1580

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

PERFECT Defined for English Language Learners

perfect

adjective

Definition of perfect for English Language Learners

: having no mistakes or flaws
: completely correct or accurate
: having all the qualities you want in that kind of person, situation, etc.

perfect

verb

Definition of perfect for English Language Learners

: to make (something good) perfect or better

PERFECT Defined for Kids

perfect

adjective per·fect \ ˈpər-fikt \

Definition of perfect for Students

1 : having no mistake or flaw

a perfect plan

a perfect diamond

2 : satisfying all requirements

It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

3 : thoroughly skilled or trained : meeting the highest standards

a perfect performance

4 : ¹total 3

perfect silence

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perfectly

adverb

perfect

verb per·fect \ pər-ˈfekt \

Definition of perfect for Students

perfected; perfecting

: to improve (something) so that it has no flaws

Law Dictionary

perfect

adjective per·fect \ ˈpər-fikt \

legal Definition of perfect

: entirely without fault or defect: as

a : satisfying all requirements

failed to make perfect tender

b : free from any valid legal objection : valid and effective at law

having perfect title to the property

— compare imperfect

perfect

transitive verb per·fect \ pər-ˈfekt \

legal Definition of perfect

: to complete or put in final conformity with the law: as

a : to make (an appeal) ready for transfer to an appeals court by satisfying procedural requirements

b : to put (one's security interest) in a position or status having priority over subsequently perfected security interests or unperfected security interests by taking statutorily prescribed steps to give notice especially by filing a financing statement or taking possession of the collateral

was the first creditor to perfect its security interest in the debtor's collateral, and, thus, was the first in priority for the collateral
—Commercial Bank v. Pride Furniture, Inc., 877 P.2d 1222 (1994)

— compare attach 3

intransitive verb

: to make something (as a security interest) complete, in conformity with the law, or valid against third-party claims

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