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 government will reimburse the company for the full amount of its investment upon completion.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026
“Upon completion of the six months without violation, the state will dismiss all felony and misdemeanor charges.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
The results in the Middle East were due to lower activity in Saudi Arabia and reduced drilling services in Qatar, while Asia saw higher completion tool sales.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Also, there’ll be no equity fundraising, as the acquisition is entirely debt-funded, so existing shareholders face zero dilution while receiving full earnings uplift from first day of completion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
With the whirlpool barely a yard wide and closing, I drop the doubloon, close my fingers around the puzzle piece, and thrust my fist upward, offering completion to the distant sky.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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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.