complete 1 of 2

1
2
as in to complement
to serve as a completing element to the bird's beautiful song simply completes its appeal for pet owners

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point the well-attended concert completed a great weekend of arts and entertainment events

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

complete

2 of 2

adjective

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2
3
4
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6

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complete information
detailed information
true information
correct information
comprehensive information
full information
complete understanding
perfect understanding
full understanding
absolute understanding
sufficient understanding
total understanding
complete coverage
total coverage
full coverage
enough coverage
excellent coverage
over-all coverage
a complete list
a detailed list
an extensive list
an exhaustive list
a definitive list
a conclusive list
complete lack
total lack

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb complete differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of complete are close, conclude, end, finish, and terminate. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," 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

Where would close be a reasonable alternative to complete?

The meanings of close and complete largely overlap; however, close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

In what contexts can conclude take the place of complete?

While the synonyms conclude and complete are close in meaning, conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

When could end be used to replace complete?

Although the words end and complete have much in common, end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

When might finish be a better fit than complete?

The words finish and complete can be used in similar contexts, but finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

When would terminate be a good substitute for complete?

In some situations, the words terminate and complete are roughly equivalent. However, terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of complete
Verb
Forest, though, are considering reporting Tottenham to the Premier League over their conduct while trying to complete the move. Chris Waugh, New York Times, 11 July 2025 No more going upstairs and crossing a busy street just to complete your journey. Carlo Scissura, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025
Adjective
The injury was severe -- a complete break across her femur with multiple fragments. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 11 July 2025 Check out our complete list of the Best Prime Day TV deals for more recommendations. Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for complete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complete
Verb
  • Clark finished the game 4-12 from the field, scoring only 10 points in defeat.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • Good gaming chops and an intuitive Google TV interface finish the deal for a great buy.
    Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The Chet Baker starts with the depth of a couple ounces of aged rum, complemented with just a kiss of honey (see the Airmail cocktail for a more lurid love affair between honey and rum).
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 11 July 2025
  • Suter thrived as a middle-six center in Vancouver, but also has high enough offensive intelligence to complement star players as a top-six winger.
    Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Wayfair’s four-day flash sale ends on Friday, July 11, so keep scrolling to shop even more deals on outdoor furniture and decor below.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 9 July 2025
  • That legal standoff ended so CBS’ corporate parent, Paramount Global, could get regulatory approval for its merger with Skydance.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Trump was elected to fulfill certain promises on immigration.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 July 2025
  • The subpoenas are part of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department and the White House to fulfill President Donald Trump’s promises to curtail pediatric gender care.
    Azeen Ghorayshi, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • The entire vessel then caught fire and was burning for some time.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
  • Separate lenses focus each projection from one of these star maps to fill the entire dome with about 5,000 stars.
    Martin Bush, Space.com, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • At the end of February, Williams finally put the finished paper online.
    Ben Brubaker, Wired News, 13 July 2025
  • That means the company had the option of paying a lower duty rate on the finished product versus paying the higher duties on the individual components brought into the manufacturing process.
    Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Five Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service teams conducted comprehensive on-site assessments in Mexico this month to evaluate containment efforts.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
  • For the first time, the public had access to a centralized, comprehensive online resource offering the latest research on sea level change, along with an interactive database that allowed users to explore how sea levels have changed over recent decades.
    Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • The bagels were utter perfection to my mind, taste buds and insidees, and a spell of satisfaction and euphoria took over.
    Michelle Greenwald, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • But the European agenda must also aim to reverse Gazans’ utter dependence on outside aid while enhancing reconstruction standards.
    Josep Borrell Fontelles, Foreign Affairs, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complete. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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