complete
With all parts included; with nothing missing; full.
Word facts
Definition of Complete
Finished; ended; concluded; completed.
Example sentences
Make sure your application is complete before you submit it.
The puzzle felt complete once she found the last piece.
Using Complete well
A closer look at how complete is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
Having all its parts, or fully finished with nothing missing.
Use it to say something is whole and lacks nothing, or (as a verb) to finish something. As an intensifier ('a complete stranger'), it means total or absolute.
Common in project work, forms and checklists, product descriptions ('the complete set'), and as an emphatic modifier in everyday speech.
'Complete' means having every part; 'completed' is the past-tense verb (a task you have completed). Also, strictly speaking things are complete or not — 'more complete' is common but disliked by careful writers.
- whole
- stresses that no part is missing, but not necessarily that work is finished
- entire
- similar to whole; emphasizes the full extent with nothing left out
- finished
- focuses on the work being done, not on whether all parts are present
- total
- as an intensifier, blunter and more absolute ('total chaos' vs 'complete chaos')
- comprehensive
- more formal — implies covering every relevant point or area, not just being finished
- incomplete
- the direct opposite — missing parts or unfinished
- partial
- softer — some but not all is present or done
- unfinished
- focuses specifically on work still left to do
- Beginner The puzzle is complete — every piece is in place.
- In writing Please make sure the application is complete before you submit it, as missing sections cannot be added later.
- Advanced The manuscript felt complete not because nothing more could be said, but because nothing more needed to be.
Complete = 'com-' (together) + 'plete' (filled) — everything filled in together.
Synonyms for Complete
Antonyms for Complete
Related words
Words closely connected to Complete in meaning or use:
Words that rhyme with Complete
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What does complete mean?
With all parts included; with nothing missing; full. It is an adjective.
How many syllables does complete have?
Complete breaks into 2 syllables — kuhmp·leet — when you say it aloud.
What part of speech is complete?
Complete works as an adjective. As a verb, it describes an action or state.
What are synonyms for complete?
You can often swap complete for stark, good, discharge, hearty, though each carries a slightly different shade of meaning.
How do you use complete in a sentence?
Example: "Make sure your application is complete before you submit it."