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

1
2
3
4
5
6

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For
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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
The property is also expanding with 43 new villas on a 126-acre estate just across the road, set to be completed by 2026. Villas at Sublime Comporta. Monica Mendal, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025 Howard County officials celebrated the investment of state and local funding in the new Workforce Development & Trades Center at Howard Community College, with the hope that it will be completed by June 2026. Kiersten Hacker, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Plus, Jo Malone takes the stress out of gifting by wrapping it up in their signature gift box, complete with a ribbon. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025 Donald Trump makes 'one-of-a-find' agreement with his new neighbors A home near President 's Mar-a-Lago estate has sold for $14 million—complete with a rare privilege: guest access to the former president's private club. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for complete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complete
Verb
  • Miami rallied, finished strong, believed, and these past two play-in games have nourished that belief.
    Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The computer’s latest forecast now has Wycombe down to finish second with an average of 88.75 points across those simulations to Wrexham’s 87.13 points.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Tom Burroughs, District 2 at-large commissioner and chair of the Wyandotte County Economic Development Commission’s board, told The Star on April 17 that the project would complement other attractions in the county and offer another opportunity to increase tourism and local revenues.
    Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Harmonizing With Drinks The food is complemented by a selection of drinks including wine, sake, and teas, which mirror the three cultures and is an innovative collaboration between Sandra Fernández, sommelier at Hoteles Xcaret, and Kristell Monto, sommelier from Mugaritz.
    Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Major automakers want Congress to bar California's landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035 that has been adopted by 11 other states, warning the rules could begin impacting vehicle shipments in a few months.
    David Shepardson, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The festival kicks off on May 13, and ends on May 24, with the winners broadcast live at the closing ceremony on France Télévisions in France and by Brut internationally.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The tech executive hired several young engineers aged 19-24 to fulfill his directives at DOGE, which centered on eliminating positions Musk deemed to be unnecessary.
    Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • However, after making season one, Gilroy and Luna both realized that their initial aim was too ambitious and likely required at least a decade of their lives to fulfill.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After hatching, the tiny insects live almost their entire lives in the web of a single spider, eating any weakened or recently deceased insects that have been caught by their host – all while adorned in a grisly collection of body parts.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Healthy wolf populations help the entire ecosystem, since wolves manage populations of deer and other prey, causing a ripple effect that can balance the whole food web.
    Olivia Ferrari, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • While the raw jade material in her jewelry is from Myanmar, the finished products are imported from China.
    Hannah Lang and Judith Langowski, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The Canadiens are not a finished product, far from it, but this represents an important step for one of the youngest teams in the league, one that had grown tired of losing and decided to do something about it.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Earlier this month, the Chinese government escalated things even further, subjecting seven rare earth elements to a more comprehensive export licensing program that covers the whole world and is designed to further choke off American companies.
    Zeyi Yang, Wired News, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Scientists with the forensic genetic genealogy lab based in Texas were able to build a comprehensive genetic profile using existing data for the then-unknown woman and ultimately found her identity.
    Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Talk about the low of the low, what utter scumbags.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • But sometimes, such as in crosswalks during peak commuting times, that order turns to utter chaos.
    Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complete. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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