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)

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Etymology

Origin of fulfill

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

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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

He has been "adjusting his daily schedule in consultation with his doctors to prioritise his recovery while continuing to fulfill the responsibilities of his ministry," the Vatican said.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

But her ailing parents, Moses and Charlotte, were unable to fulfill the visa terms, and Charlotte was unlikely to survive the journey.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Moynihan said the company had redeployed some staff to fulfill compliance obligations, meaning it won't mean additional costs in the future for these functions.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

In other words, you can be forever reliant on the universe’s mercy or merciless in bending it to fulfill your ambition.

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

At USC, she took a class in criminal psychology, which she thought would fulfill a credit but wound up touching her deeply.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

But cities and their private-sector partners are reluctant to admit that their lofty ambitions won’t be fulfilled, which would result in factory closures and lost jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Then came the order in which a request for Panko breadcrumbs was fulfilled with a box of vanilla wafers.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

Soon after arriving on the continent, it became clear than the German promises of soldiers and 200,000 rifles were not going to be fulfilled.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

"We have witnessed him giving a lot of promises and they are yet to be fulfilled," said Mahmoud, the artist.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

“Well, I would hope that you have a happy and fulfilled life.”

From "Lawn Boy" by Gary Paulsen

Kyiv's human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said Ukraine was "fulfilling its commitments" to the ceasefire.

From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026

Macron's visit was intended to demonstrate that "the state is present, standing firm and fulfilling its mission to protect," an aide said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026

Overdeck testified in August that if private information about Two Sigma were to become public, he worried Siegel could take legal action against him for not fulfilling his confidentiality obligations to the firm.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Far from fulfilling a Heated Rivalry fantasy with male friends who “had her back,” she entered a dystopia of manosphere misogyny.

From Slate ● Oct. 9, 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

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