terminate 1 of 2

1
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point we need to terminate the discussion for this evening, but we'll resume tomorrow morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to define
to mark the limits of terminated the area set aside for the runners to change their clothes with a series of folding screens

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5

terminate

2 of 2

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb terminate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of terminate are close, complete, conclude, end, and finish. While all these words mean "to bring or come to a stopping point or limit," terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

your employment terminates after three months

When might close be a better fit than terminate?

While the synonyms close and terminate are close in meaning, close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

close a debate

When is complete a more appropriate choice than terminate?

The meanings of complete and terminate largely overlap; however, 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 conclude be a reasonable alternative to terminate?

The words conclude and terminate can be used in similar contexts, but conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

the service concluded with a blessing

When can end be used instead of terminate?

In some situations, the words end and terminate are roughly equivalent. However, end conveys a strong sense of finality.

ended his life

In what contexts can finish take the place of terminate?

The synonyms finish and terminate are sometimes interchangeable, but finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

after it is painted, the house will be finished

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 terminate
Verb
That control gave Puglisi the sole authority to set up new credit card accounts, change spending limits, manage card access and terminate accounts. Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2021 ChristianaCare, the state’s largest health care system and largest private employer, has stated that all employees must receive the first dose of the vaccine by Sept. 21, or the health system with terminate workers who don’t unless given an exemption. From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2021
Adjective
In the past 200 days, Kennedy has terminated mRNA-research grants, stuffed a CDC advisory panel with anti-vaccine activists, and propped up unproven treatments during a deadly measles outbreak. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025 In her filing, Richards asked that Phypers, 52, pay her spousal support and that the court terminate its ability to award him support. Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for terminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terminate
Verb
  • Election laws are set at the state level, meaning that any order from the president seeking to end the voting option would likely be met with legal challenges.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Daylight saving time ends (slightly) earlier in 2025.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Fall weather isn't stopping the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) as its crews are set to begin a number of construction work across the state.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Good Fortune follows Reeves as an angel, Gabriel, tasked by his boss, Martha (Sandra Oh), with stopping humans from dying while texting and driving.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Among them were countless era-defining releases that are still among the best movies ever made—of any genre—from the haunting Rebecca to the gripping Rear Window, and the ravishing Vertigo to the hair-raising Psycho.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Internally, the current workspace contained not only the visible text documents but also any custom words the user added to the dictionary and any additional tForth words defined in memory.
    Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • There was huge outrage and debate at the time around the idea that the American president could assassinate an American citizen extrajudicially, in violation of his Constitutional rights.
    Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The series follows Agent 47, a contract killer who travels to different destinations across the world to assassinate targets.
    George Yang, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • By removing color, the focus shifts to texture, light, gesture, and gaze — emphasizing the nuances of connection and the multiplicity of what love can look like beyond normative, romanticized ideals.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Social media platforms, including YouTube and X, have begun removing videos of the attack.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These transfers can be made to trusts, such as qualified terminable interest property trust which can be relatively simple and inexpensive to create and also defer estate tax on unlimited wealth.
    Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Another type of trust to consider in this situation would be a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust.
    Liz Weston, oregonlive, 6 Aug. 2023
Verb
  • Amazon Prime Video’s six-part thriller concluded with an ending that cannonballed into new territory and paddled swiftly away from the ending of Michelle Frances’ 2017 novel of the same name.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Trump was right again in concluding that the Federal Reserve has been too late in responding to the deterioration of the job market.
    Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At the end of 2024, SHR ceased operations, paving the way for the rise of the Haas Factory Team.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
  • In turn, matchups between strong Group of 5 teams and hefty pocketbooks will cease to exist.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Terminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terminate. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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