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 Ravens didn’t score on their next possession, giving the Bills a chance to complete their comeback. The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Thales has completed Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) for both the Mission System and the Combat System on the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 Inspiration-class frigates. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
There’s even a DJ stage complete with a revolving disco ball, all part of the property’s $6 million renovation. Beth D'addono, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025 Seven spacious floors house 148 guest rooms, five suites, a wellness center (complete with spa and swimming pool), and the Wintergarden restaurant and bar. Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for complete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complete
Verb
  • Work finished on paving over the previously grassy lawn of the Rose Garden in recent weeks.
    Toby Meyjes, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The project is expected to finish by late 2026, according to WisDOT.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Now with the lighting isssues fixed, the team turned its attention to creating a selection of more exciting colorways for the Halo65 to complement the improved lighting.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Her bronzy makeup, done by Carolina Gonzalez, consisted of a gold glittery eye look that was complemented with a mauve pink lip and, while her hair was styled in curls and a side bang, a departure from her signature curtain fringe.
    Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Popular visa categories often reach their annual limit well before the fiscal year ends, particularly for applicants from countries with high demand.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • George Springer’s revival season reaches new heights Springer ended last season with the ninth-lowest OPS in the American League.
    Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But alas, the March 2005 issue had me on the inside of a pullout cover to fulfill their legal obligation.
    Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Buried under the charred rubble on Life Changers Global Ministries’ parking lot is a promise that will be fulfilled, the decades-old south Phoenix church’s pastor is quick to assure.
    Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Not everyone adds the entire show lineup to their Google Calendar, and the screenshot of the CFDA schedule is quickly lost in a sea of other content.
    Vogue Runway, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Best places to see the total lunar eclipse The best views of the total lunar eclipse will be from Asian and Western Australia, where skywatchers can see the entire event from start to finish, according to Time and Date.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The reality is that though the individual components of fire cider may be good for you, the finished product may not taste great.
    Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2025
  • After a three-minute curing time, the two halves of the mold are pulled apart, and the finished object is removed.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Cartman 39-piece Tool Set For road trips, a more comprehensive toolkit is worth packing.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The principles are actionable best-practice, distilled from multiple comprehensive studies.
    Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • For Bear, the new arrangement is great about 99 percent of the time… the only drawback is that Nikki occasionally snaps back into her old self and screams in utter terror for a few seconds, before resuming the love-bombing.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Twenty-four years later, the shape of this new work of fiction highlights both the insufficiency of memory, of story, and their utter necessity.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complete. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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