complete
complete
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "complete" is /kəmˈpliːt/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
kəm:
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/ə/: Schwa (mid-central vowel)
/m/: Bilabial nasal
ˈpliːt:
/p/: Voiceless bilabial stop
/l/: Alveolar lateral approximant
/iː/: Close front unrounded vowel (as in "fleece")
/t/: Voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Complete" functions as both an adjective and a verb.
Adjective Forms:
Positive: complete (e.g., "The puzzle is complete.")
Comparative: more complete (e.g., "This version is more complete.")
Superlative: most complete (e.g., "That's the most complete collection.")
Verb Forms:
Base Form: complete (e.g., "Please complete the form.")
Third-person singular present: completes (e.g., "She completes her tasks quickly.")
Present participle: completing (e.g., "He is completing the project.")
Past tense: completed (e.g., "They completed the marathon.")
Past participle: completed (e.g., "The work was completed on time.")
Related Forms:
Noun: completion (e.g., "We await its completion.")
Adverb: completely (e.g., "The room was completely dark.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective Definitions
Having all the necessary or appropriate parts; whole.
Synonyms: Entire, full, total, whole, comprehensive, exhaustive, finished
Antonyms: Incomplete, partial, unfinished, lacking, deficient
(Used for emphasis) To the greatest extent or degree; absolute.
Synonyms: Absolute, utter, total, perfect, sheer, thorough
Antonyms: Partial, slight, minor, limited
Verb Definitions
To finish making or doing something.
Synonyms: Finish, conclude, finalize, accomplish, achieve, execute, perform
Antonyms: Start, begin, commence, initiate, abandon, stop
To make (something) whole or perfect.
Synonyms: Supplement, complement, perfect, round out, fill in
Antonyms: Diminish, detract from, compromise
Examples of Use
Books
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, 1942) - This implies that one's journey is never truly complete.
"The detective gathered all the evidence, hoping to complete the puzzle before nightfall." (Common in mystery novels)
Newspapers and Online Publications
"The construction of the new railway line is expected to be complete by next year." (The Standard)
"Many students choose to complete their degrees online for flexibility." (Inside Higher Ed)
"The report provides a complete overview of the economic recovery challenges." (Financial Times)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film: In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo's quest is to complete the destruction of the One Ring.
Television: "To complete this challenge, contestants must build a working robot from scratch." (Heard on reality competition shows)
Music: A song might describe a feeling of being "complete" when with a loved one, or the artist might refer to an album as their "most complete work."
Video Games: Players receive achievements or trophies for "completeing certain levels or the entire game.
General Public Discourse
"Have you managed to complete all your chores today?" (Everyday question about tasks)
"The project is almost complete; just a few finishing touches left." (Casual conversation about progress)
"She felt her life was finally complete after adopting her dog." (Expressing a sense of fulfillment)
"Make sure the form is filled out completely before you submit it." (Instruction for forms or applications)
10 Quotes Using Complete
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (C.S. Lewis) - This quote, while not using "complete," implies that one's journey is never truly complete.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) - This highlights that internal fulfillment can make one feel complete.
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." (Eleanor Roosevelt) - This implies a sense of inner strength that makes one feel complete regardless of external validation.
"Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by every crime and every kindness, we birth our future." (David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas) - This suggests that human connection makes life complete.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever." (John Keats, Endymion) - A truly beautiful thing feels perfect and complete.
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Lao Tzu) - This alludes to the many steps needed to complete a long journey.
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) - Authenticity makes one complete.
"It is not the mountains we conquer but ourselves." (Sir Edmund Hillary) - Achieving internal triumph makes one feel complete.
"The unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates) - Self-reflection is crucial to living a complete life.
"No man is a failure who has friends." (Clarence, It's a Wonderful Life) - Friendship helps to make one's life feel complete.
Etymology
The word "complete" comes from the Latin verb "complēre," which meant "to fill up" or "to fulfill." This Latin word is formed from "com-" (an intensifier, meaning "thoroughly") and "plēre" (meaning "to fill"). You can see this "plēre" root in other words like "plenty."
So, at its root, "complete" is about being thoroughly filled or brought to a full state.
The first known use of "complete" in English, appearing around the late 14th century, referred to something that was brought to an end or finished, or that had all its parts. This original sense of wholeness and finality is still central to the word's meaning today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Complete
Complete a task: To finish an assigned piece of work.
Example: "I need to complete this report by Friday."
Complete a circuit: To form a closed path for an electrical current.
Example: "Touching both terminals will complete a circuit."
Complete the picture: To provide all the necessary information or details to understand a situation fully.
Example: "Once we get her statement, it will complete the picture."
Complete set: A full collection of items without any missing parts.
Example: "He finally found the last card to make his baseball cards a complete set."
Complete overhaul: A thorough and extensive renovation or improvement.
Example: "The old engine needed a complete overhaul."
Bring to completion: (Meaning to finish or accomplish something).
Example: "The team worked tirelessly to bring the project to completion."
Tie up loose ends: (An idiom meaning to finish all the small details of a task or project).
Example: "Before we launch, we need to tie up all the loose ends."
Finishing touch: (A final detail that completes or perfects something).
Example: "The decorative pillows were the perfect finishing touch for the room."
Put the final touches on: (To add the last details to something to make it complete).
Example: "She's just putting the final touches on her presentation."
See through to the end: (To persist with something until it is finished).
Example: "Once he starts a project, he always sees it through to the end.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of complete from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
