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

It was a single page and included a handful of activities she thought would fulfill her goal to “experience lots of joy” and “learn and grow in areas that interest me.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“The way they fulfill that is a combination of taking any classes they want on the university campus — pass/fail — and by teaching and volunteering,” said Abid-Wood.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Adding customers that Wall Street trusts to fulfill cloud contracts with CoreWeave is also crucial.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin to give him a list of insurers that “acted swiftly, courageously, and bravely” to fulfill their legal obligation and another list of those that were “particularly bad.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

To fulfill my responsibility as a revolutionary, I listed all my teachers.

From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang