fulfill

American  

[fool-fil] / fʊlˈfɪl /

especially British, fulfil

verb (used with object)

fulfilled, fulfilling

1. to carry out, or bring to realization, as a prophecy or promise.

   Synonyms:

   realize, complete, achieve, accomplish

2. to perform or do, as duty; obey or follow, as commands.

   Synonyms:

   observe, discharge, execute

3. to satisfy (requirements, obligations, etc.).

   a book that fulfills a long-felt need.

   Synonyms:

   fill, answer, meet

4. to bring to an end; finish or complete, as a period of time.

   He felt that life was over when one had fulfilled his threescore years and ten.

   Synonyms:

   conclude, terminate, end

5. to develop the full potential of (usually used reflexively).

   She realized that she could never fulfill herself in such work.

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Other Word Forms

• fulfiller
  noun
• overfulfill
  verb (used with object)
• prefulfill
  verb (used with object)
• superfulfill
  verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of fulfill

First recorded before 1000; Middle English fulfillen, Old English fulfyllan. See full ¹, fill

Explanation

The verb fulfill means to fill a need or want. To fulfill yourself personally means to follow your inner passion, like flute-playing, no matter who thinks it's silly. Fulfill can also mean to meet expectations, or live up to a standard. If you fulfill your teacher's requirement of good behavior and good test scores, she'll give you a star. Finally, fulfill can mean to put into effect, or carry out. You'll fulfill the cookie orders when you deliver boxes of those tasty treats to the people who bought them.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fulfill fulfilled fulfilling

In other words, Folayan concludes, the Pasha’s reaction was logical: Since the Americans had not fulfilled their contract, he did not consider himself obligated to fulfill his.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

I’m originally from Mexico, and when you come here, really feel like everybody has opportunity to really just fulfill whatever dream or whatever purpose God has for you.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

The review, by Blackpool Safeguarding Children Partnership, said this did not fulfill the "expected practice".

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

"But Tau and alpha synuclein also fulfill essential functions in healthy neurons - they help maintain cell structure and support communication by interacting with tubulin and contributing to microtubule assembly and stabilization."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

How would they feel to have a son who could not fulfill his knightly duties?

From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli

Beira's Place was established in 2022 by the Harry Potter author and other campaigners who claimed it fulfilled an unmet need for women-only support in the city.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

In other words, Folayan concludes, the Pasha’s reaction was logical: Since the Americans had not fulfilled their contract, he did not consider himself obligated to fulfill his.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Ballmer admits introducing Leonard to Aspiration executives but has denied that he knew details of the endorsement deal that Leonard never fulfilled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

A knock-on effect of this would be a deterioration of the problems already ongoing in the private-credit space, wherein many investor redemption requests could not be fulfilled owing to liquidity constraints.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

Feels he fulfilled his mission to keep me alive.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

“My imagined audience is of people in America who are not addicted to politics but are addicted to good citizenship and the idea of fulfilling their civic virtue,” Stirewalt said in a recent interview.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

But the life-altering event comes not in the form of fulfilling her life’s dream, but as an unexpected cancer diagnosis, handed to her just as she’s scheduled to wrap production on her short.

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026

Rather than every country having something to play for on matchday three, nine were basically fulfilling a fixture - four guaranteed to top the group, and five eliminated.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

And eBay forbids fulfilling orders by purchasing items elsewhere at the time of sale and shipping them directly to customers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

But still the book gave her no answers, and however much she read, however skilled she became with a knife and a bow, she seemed no closer to fulfilling her vow.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee