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
Cardell Williams completed 8 of 11 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns to speedster Ernest Campbell as the Hornets won for the sixth time in their last eight outings with two conference games to go. Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 9 Nov. 2025 To complete your tablescape design before the holiday arrives, shop more of our favorite Thanksgiving table decor pieces below. Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Banana Republic Factory Hayden Wide-leg Pants A capsule wardrobe isn’t complete without a pair of wide-leg trousers, and this pair from Banana Republic Factory is both comfortable and flattering. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025 Mike Macdonald has Seattle at 6-2, tied atop the NFC West and already looking like one of the most complete teams in football. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for complete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complete
Verb
  • In all, five Aztecs finished in double figures.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The wood-free Hyper Core composite walls are finished in automotive grade aluminum outer panels framed out via 11-gauge aluminum corner rails, protecting the trailer from low branches and flying debris.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Trudi complements this with a comfort-first approach, and packs travel essentials like pashminas and expandable totes to cover every situation.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Reports claimed that the KSOT is designed to provide a fast, efficient and effective solution to strengthen the Indonesia’s maritime combat capabilities, while complementing its existing fleet of conventional submarines.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The benefit reductions for November are temporary, and SNAP recipients are expected to receive full benefits once the government shutdown ends and regular appropriations have been approved.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Hong Kong — Qatar Airways will sell its stake in Cathay Pacific Airways for $896 million, ending its eight-year shareholding in Hong Kong’s flagship carrier.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • That means giving back, informally, to fulfill teachers’ wish lists and with the Eagles Autism Foundation.
    Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The TrumpRx website is expected to launch sometime in 2026, and would take consumers to pharmaceutical companies' direct-to-consumer websites to fulfill orders.
    NPR, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • As a childless person who doesn’t teach I’ve been happily unaware that, due to standardized testing requirements that favor close reads of excerpts over whole books, there’s an entire generation of students who have very little contextual framework for the literature they’re being taught in school.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Morning Post citing data from Wind, already greater than the entire total in 2024.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The finished device generates pulses below 50 femtoseconds, uses only five components, and occupies just a few square centimeters.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
  • For up to $60 per person, a date where a finished product, such as a candle, is created is interactive, creative, and a way to discover someone’s personal preferences.
    Essence, Essence, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The conversation turned especially poignant when Dern discussed the practical realities facing older performers, noting that the Screen Actors Guild provides no comprehensive health care plan for retired actors.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Our study shows that comprehensive policy changes can meaningfully protect vaccination coverage.
    Anthony Bald, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Much will soon be made of the movie’s epic, final-act twist, but despite such swerves, the film maintains its utter ambiguity to the end, giving heart to the lostness that so many across ideological spectrums now feel.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
  • His extraordinary journey from utter isolation to human connection is revealed in the Oscar-contending documentary Ghost Boy, directed by Rodney Ascher (Room 237, A Glitch in the Matrix), winner of the Audience Award at SXSW in the Visions category.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complete. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

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