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
5
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
Rihanna completed the look with black rectangular shades and a stack of diamond bracelets. Catherine Santino, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Those in the preppy camp might pair their boat shoes with a rugby shirt or quarter-zip, straight-leg jeans, and a designer bag, while those in the sporty camp might complete their look with a babydoll top or button-down shirt, track shorts, and a tote bag. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
In early 2028, the second phase, which will add 11 more gates, will be fully complete. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025 Shi noted that her short was still early in its festival run but told IndieWire that the feature treatment is already complete. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for complete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complete
Verb
  • Verlander set a season-high in innings and finished one away from his personal-best this year in strikeouts.
    Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2025
  • That production resulted in him winning the Offensive Player of the Year award and finishing third in the MVP balloting.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The productions will complement — not replace — the English language recordings by Dale and Stephen, which were first released in 1999.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
  • The denim pieces are complemented with styles that promote comfort and easy-of-movement like cotton barrel-leg pants, joggers and packs of tees.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Retail giant Target Corp (TGT) is in the news today, after reports that the company will end its shop-in-shop partnership with Ulta Beauty (ULTA) in 2026.
    Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The immense suffering, displacement, and starvation of the Palestinian people is a humanitarian catastrophe that must end.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Elon Musk gives update on Mars plan Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, has aggressively sought for his commercial spaceflight company to develop its Starship spacecraft to fulfill his ambitious dream of sending the first humans to Mars.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Second, consider the amount of effort taken to fulfill the task.
    Chris Talgo, Boston Herald, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The platform that controls your shopping agent controls your entire commerce relationship — discovery, decision, payment, and loyalty.
    Jason Goldberg, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • The songs are part of an entire album to coincide with the show’s release.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • By retaining such control over the finished product, director Kim has simply seen to it that his vision is what appears on the screen.
    Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Pincus’s textures are contemporary, but the references and use of real instruments by the other two make the finished product feel timeless.
    Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • What makes Wiz particularly compelling is its ability to integrate with more than 150 tools across the modern cloud stack, enabling organizations to build a comprehensive and dynamic security posture.
    Chris McHenry, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • And hopefully, there’s a way forward on comprehensive immigration reform.
    David Culver, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Amid all the looming consciousness that our time on earth is precious, there are also specials unerringly devoted to utter stupidity, and even the comedians fixated on mortality are delivering life-affirming material, too.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
  • At my worst, there was utter loneliness and anhedonia.
    Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complete. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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