completion
Americannoun
-
the act of completing.
- Synonyms:
- closing, ending, termination
-
the state of being completed.
-
conclusion; fulfillment.
Her last novel represented the completion of her literary achievement.
-
Football. a forward pass that has been completed.
Other Word Forms
- noncompletion noun
- precompletion noun
- subcompletion noun
Etymology
Origin of completion
First recorded in 1650–60, completion is from the Late Latin word complētiōn- (stem of complētiō ). See complete, -ion
Explanation
When something comes to completion, it's finished. In football, a pass that's been caught is called a completion. If a wide receiver has a lot of completions, then he had a good day: that means he caught a lot of passes. But if the receiver is out of bounds or drops the ball, then there's no completion. Quarterbacks are judged by their completion rate, too. Off the gridiron, you can use the word completion to talk about anything that's been completed or achieved. Graduation day marks the completion of high school. The completion of a new building or a PhD can take years.
Vocabulary lists containing completion
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ion, -tion, -ation
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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"CLEP Principles of Management," Vocabulary from Chapter 13
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The study’s still-unpublished findings, shared with The Wall Street Journal, show that RMT-created companies often look like losers initially, posting average shareholder losses of 6.8% in the first six months after completion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
Investors are finding deals to be had that include trophy properties such as San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid, a 48-story tower that has served as a symbol of the city since its completion in the 1970s.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
As investors see the war in Iran potentially edging nearer to completion, that’s benefited so-called risk-on trades, including within the memory sector.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
As the rollout nears completion, the government is currently holding a consultation on the future of Universal Credit, the first system-wide review since it was launched in 2013.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
It was a lovely morning; the bright sunshine and all the fresh feeling of early autumn seemed like the completion of nature’s annual work.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.