fulfill
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to carry out, or bring to realization, as a prophecy or promise.
- Synonyms:
- realize, complete, achieve, accomplish
-
to perform or do, as duty; obey or follow, as commands.
-
to satisfy (requirements, obligations, etc.).
a book that fulfills a long-felt need.
-
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.
-
to develop the full potential of (usually used reflexively).
She realized that she could never fulfill herself in such work.
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing fulfill
Beowulf vocabulary
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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Ungifted
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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.
See Examples For:
He adapted it from Eiko Kadono’s 1985 children’s novel about a half-witch who strikes out on her own to fulfill a tradition established by her kind.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
But she and a special stepfather insisted we respect traditional values, get a good education, work hard, never quit and fulfill our responsibilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The most common complaint heard from high-tech corporate executives is that they can’t find enough trained candidates to fulfill their needs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Whether he chooses to fulfill his destiny alongside his twin remains to be seen.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
I wanted to do something wonderfully romantic, to fulfill my idea of what I thought a writer should be like.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
According to BCA Research, hyperscaler cloud backlogs — orders received but not yet fulfilled — have grown by roughly $750 billion over just the past two quarters.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $60 million in the now-defunct company that in turn agreed to pay Leonard $28 million for endorsements he never fulfilled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
"It would reassure me that my growing child's protein needs were being fulfilled," she added.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 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
According to contemporary sources, the severed head is a self-portrait, but although we may doubt the identification, this disturbing image communicates a tragic vision that was soon fulfilled.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
"We're not focused on any particular timeline. We're focused on fulfilling the legal and statutory requirements," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
HBM producers have diverted their efforts toward fulfilling lucrative data-center contracts, resulting in increasing component costs for consumer products.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
“What can I say? Being recognized by my peers in this way is the cherry on top of the most creatively fulfilling experience of my life,” Einbinder said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
America has repeatedly expanded liberty, broadened opportunity, and moved closer to fulfilling the promise that all people are created equal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
“I must be paid in full before fulfilling your request.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
