complete 1 of 2

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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

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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

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complete

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adjective

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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
The preseason game took more than three hours to complete, at times saw a half-dozen Lightning players in the penalty box and at one point saw a third-period goal taken off the board because a player that had gotten ejected (Florida’s Niko Mikkola) was on the ice and assisted on the tally. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025 Giants quarterback Russell Wilson had trouble completing passes and threw two interceptions in the first half, and Giants fans, who already have a baseline level of frustration after several years of mostly ineptitude, are beside themselves. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The layout of the interior includes two sunny, bright bedrooms, one large, open-concept living room and kitchen, and a full bathroom complete with a marble shower. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025 While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for complete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complete
Verb
  • This is fantastic for multitasking and can make the difference between finishing your workload and getting to it next shift.
    Jade Chung-Lee, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Breslow mentioned more than once the need to add power to the lineup; the Red Sox finished the season 15th in the majors with 186 homers.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • At 20 liters, this pack is big enough for a weekend getaway and definitely the perfect size to complement your rollaboard for longer trips.
    Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Despite only having two players from the previous year on the roster, Phoenix was able to fill out the roster with former overseas pros and accurate shooters to complement Thomas’s downhill style.
    Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The arteries end at the capillaries.
    Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The Arkansas Educational Freedom Accounts could cost the state more than $326 million during the fiscal year that ends June 30, according to information provided by the state Department of Education.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The state is yet to fulfill that request.
    Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Here is the new trailer for Last Days, director Justin Lin‘s feature based on the true story of Chau (Sky Yang), who embarks on a journey to fulfill his life’s mission.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The fact Nuno did not have the opportunity to work with his entire squad last summer — only two new additions had arrived in time to join the training camp in Portugal — played a role in the breakdown of his relationship with the Forest hierarchy.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • California made the most sense as a starting point because of its historic extended producer responsibility, or EPR, legislation—the first in the United States to hold textile producers liable for the cost of their products’ entire life cycle, including their diversion and disposal.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That $6,100 figure includes all costs—not just sequencing but also sampling and the other stages needed to produce a finished genome, with all of the genes identified and assigned to chromosomes.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Parents noted that while the building process is the most exciting part—sparking problem-solving, critical thinking, and a real sense of accomplishment—the finished toys are still fun to experiment with.
    Emily Glover, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Then the Shasta County Coroner’s Office collaborated with Othram, whose scientists extracted DNA from the remains and employed its Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to construct a comprehensive DNA profile, the laboratory said in a news release.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Specializing in criminal defense, civil rights litigation, personal injury, family law, and sports entertainment, the firm employs a comprehensive approach.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Ray is the leader of a biker gang and demands utter subservience.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Outside, the scene among the sea of red was one of utter devastation.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complete. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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