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 construction of two huge single-track viaducts were "nearing completion", he added.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
In addition to the hype around SpaceX, the industry is benefiting from the successful completion of the most ambitious human spaceflight in decades.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
The Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, which houses the Endeavour shuttle stack, is nearest to completion.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
The project, linking Malaysia’s Penang Island to Seberang Perai, is expected to be awarded by July, with construction starting in 2027 and completion by 2031, he notes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
They seem to achieve some sort of completion on that day that makes them steady enough on their feet to appear graceful even if they are not.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
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.
