COMPLETE

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does complete mean? 

• COMPLETE (adjective)
  The adjective COMPLETE has 5 senses:

1. having every necessary or normal part or component or step

2. perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary qualities

3. highly skilled

4. without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers

5. having come or been brought to a conclusion

  Familiarity information: COMPLETE used as an adjective is common.

• COMPLETE (verb)
  The verb COMPLETE has 5 senses:

1. come or bring to a finish or an end

2. bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements

3. complete or carry out

4. complete a pass

5. write all the required information onto a form

  Familiarity information: COMPLETE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMPLETE (adjective)

Declension: comparative and superlative

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having every necessary or normal part or component or step

Context example:

a complete accounting

Similar:

sound (complete; thorough)

stand-alone (capable of operating independently)

self-contained (constituting a complete and independent unit in and of itself)

hearty (without reservation)

good (thorough)

full-dress (complete in every respect)

full-blown (having or displaying all the characteristics necessary for completeness)

allover (covering the entire surface)

full; total (complete in extent or degree and in every particular)

fleshed out; full-clad (given substance or detail; completed)

exhaustive; thorough; thoroughgoing (performed comprehensively and completely; not superficial or partial)

dead (the complete stoppage of an action)

completed (caught)

clean (thorough and without qualification)

blank; utter (complete and absolute)

all-out; full-scale (using all available resources)

all-or-none; all-or-nothing (occurring completely or not occurring at all)

all (completely given to or absorbed by)

accomplished; completed; realised; realized (successfully completed or brought to an end)

absolute; downright; out-and-out; rank; right-down; sheer (complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers)

Also:

whole (including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete)

comprehensive (including all or everything)

Attribute:

completeness (the state of being complete and entire; having everything that is needed)

Antonym:

incomplete (not complete or total; not completed)

Derivation:

completeness (the state of being complete and entire; having everything that is needed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary qualities

Synonyms:

complete; consummate

Context example:

a consummate performance

Similar:

perfect (being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish)

Derivation:

completeness (the state of being complete and entire; having everything that is needed)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Highly skilled

Synonyms:

accomplished; complete

Context example:

a complete musician

Similar:

skilled (having or showing or requiring special skill)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers

Synonyms:

arrant; complete; consummate; double-dyed; everlasting; gross; perfect; pure; sodding; staring; stark; thorough; thoroughgoing; unadulterated; utter

Context example:

the unadulterated truth

Similar:

unmitigated (not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; sometimes used as an intensifier)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Having come or been brought to a conclusion

Synonyms:

all over; complete; concluded; ended; over; terminated

Context example:

the abruptly terminated interview

Similar:

finished (ended or brought to an end)

• COMPLETE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Come or bring to a finish or an end

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

complete; finish

Context example:

The fastest runner finished the race in just over 2 hours; others finished in over 4 hours

Hypernyms (to "complete" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "complete"):

close (finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead)

top; top off (finish up or conclude)

clear up; finish off; finish up; get through; mop up; polish off; wrap up (finish a task completely)

see through (remain with until completion)

finish out; round out (fill out)

carry out; follow out; follow through; follow up; go through with; implement; put through (pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue)

accomplish; action; carry out; carry through; execute; fulfil; fulfill (put in effect)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sentence example:

They won't complete the story

Derivation:

completion (a concluding action)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

A child would complete the family

Hypernyms (to "complete" is one way to...):

fill; fill up; make full (make full, also in a metaphorical sense)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Complete or carry out

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

complete; discharge; dispatch

Context example:

discharge one's duties

Hypernyms (to "complete" is one way to...):

accomplish; action; carry out; carry through; execute; fulfil; fulfill (put in effect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Complete a pass

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

complete; nail

Hypernyms (to "complete" is one way to...):

play (participate in games or sport)

Domain category:

football; football game (any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

completion ((American football) a successful forward pass in football)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Write all the required information onto a form

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

complete; fill in; fill out; make out

Context example:

make out a form

"Complete" entails doing...:

get down; put down; set down; write down (put down in writing; of texts, musical compositions, etc.)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Then, of course, his complete mourning shows that he has lost some one very dear.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was the rejection slips that completed the horrible machinelikeness of the process.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Now, I think that, with a few missing links, my chain is almost complete.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If the room has a fireplace set with a brilliant fire, the atmosphere will be complete.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I landed next morning, and saw once more my native country, after an absence of five years and six months complete.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

When he had completed it he stood beside me again, saying:—"At least you shall be safe here from him!"

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He hesitated while he groped in his vocabulary and framed a complete answer.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“He is also handsome,” replied Elizabeth, “which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Still, that little may as well be cleared up to make the case complete.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Again his gaze completed the circle of the world about him.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)