complete

[kuhm-pleet]

adjective

1. having all parts or elements; lacking nothing; whole; entire; full.

   a complete set of Mark Twain's writings.

   Synonyms: unbroken
   Antonyms: partial

2. finished; ended; concluded.

   a complete orbit.

3. having all the required or customary characteristics, skills, or the like; consummate; perfect in kind or quality.

   a complete scholar.

   Antonyms: defective

4. thorough; entire; total; undivided, uncompromised, or unmodified.

   a complete victory;

   a complete mess.

5. Grammar.,  having all modifying or complementary elements included.

   The complete subject of “The dappled pony gazed over the fence” is “The dappled pony.”

6. Football.,  Also completed. (of a forward pass) caught by a receiver.

7. Logic.,  (of a set of axioms) such that every true proposition able to be formulated in terms of the basic ideas of a given system is deducible from the set.

8. Engineering.,  noting a determinate truss having the least number of members required to connect the panel points so as to form a system of triangles.

9. (of persons) accomplished; skilled; expert.

10. Mathematics.

    1. of or relating to an algebraic system, as a field with an order relation defined on it, in which every set of elements of the system has a least upper bound.

    2. of or relating to a set in which every fundamental sequence converges to an element of the set.

    3. (of a lattice) having the property that every subset has a least upper bound and a greatest lower bound.

verb (used with object)

completed, completing 

1. to make whole or entire.

   I need three more words to complete the puzzle.

   Synonyms: close, conclude, terminate, achieve, accomplish, perfect, consummate

2. to make perfect.

   His parting look of impotent rage completed my revenge.

3. to bring to an end; finish.

   Has he completed his new novel yet?

4. to consummate.

5. Football.,  to execute (a forward pass) successfully.

   He completed 17 passes in 33 attempts.

complete

/ kəmˈpliːt /

adjective

1. having every necessary part or element; entire

2. ended; finished

3. (prenominal) thorough; absolute

   he is a complete rogue

4. perfect in quality or kind

   he is a complete scholar

5. (of a logical system) constituted such that a contradiction arises on the addition of any proposition that cannot be deduced from the axioms of the system Compare consistent

6. (of flowers) having sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels

7. archaic,  expert or skilled; accomplished

verb

1. to make whole or perfect

2. to end; finish

3. (in land law) to pay any outstanding balance on a contract for the conveyance of land in exchange for the title deeds, so that the ownership of the land changes hands

4. American football (of a quarterback) to make a forward pass successfully

Usage

Occasionally there are objections to modifying complete with qualifiers like almost, more, most, nearly, and quite, because they suggest that complete is relative rather than absolute: an almost complete record; a more complete proposal; the most complete list available. However, such uses are fully standard and occur regularly in all varieties of spoken and written English. See also perfect, unique.

Other Word Forms

• completion noun
• completely adverb
• completer noun
• completive adjective
• completeness noun
• completable adjective
• completedness noun
• completively adverb
• half-completed adjective
• precompleteness noun
• quasi-complete adjective
• subcomplete adjective
• subcompleteness noun
• uncompletable adjective
• uncomplete adjective
• uncompleteness noun
• uncompleted adjective
• well-completed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of complete¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French or directly from Latin complētus (past participle of complēre “to fill up, fulfill,” equivalent to com- com- + plē- fill + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of complete¹

C14: from Latin complētus, past participle of complēre to fill up; see _complement

Example Sentences

“That planning process is underway and additional announcements regarding implementation and budget will be made once the process is complete,” his statement said.

From Los Angeles Times

The company plans to keep its five currently functioning BurnBot RXs in the family, where their experienced technicians and wildland firefighters will use them to complete wildfire risk reduction work across the state.

From Los Angeles Times

The walkout will begin on Sunday, when there will be limited service, with the advice to complete your journey by 18:00 BST.

From BBC

Had it been completed, the musical would have realised one of Bowie's lifelong ambitions.

From BBC

She will undergo a physical before the transfer is completed.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accomplish 
• achieve 
• close 
• conclude 
• determine 
• develop 
• do 
• end 
• execute 
• finalize 
• finish 
• halt 
• perform 
• realize 
• settle 
• wrap up 

When To Use

What are other ways to say complete?

Something that is complete has all its parts or elements, or has been finished or concluded. How does complete compare to synonyms entire, intact, and perfect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.