perfect

[ adjective, noun pur-fikt; verb per-fekt ]

/ adjective, noun ˈpɜr fɪkt; verb pərˈfɛkt /

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See synonyms for: perfect / perfected / perfecting / perfectness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type: a perfect sphere;a perfect gentleman.

excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement: There is no perfect legal code.The proportions of this temple are almost perfect.

exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose: a perfect actor to play Mr. Micawber;a perfect saw for cutting out keyholes.

entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings: a perfect apple;the perfect crime.

accurate, exact, or correct in every detail: a perfect copy.

thorough; complete; utter: perfect strangers.

pure or unmixed: perfect yellow.

unqualified; absolute: He has perfect control over his followers.

expert; accomplished; proficient: She will need a perfect driving teacher.

unmitigated; out-and-out; of an extreme degree: He made a perfect fool of himself.

Botany.

having all parts or members present.
monoclinous.

Grammar.

noting an action or state brought to a close prior to some temporal point of reference, in contrast to imperfect or incomplete action.
designating a tense or other verb formation or construction with such meaning.

Music.

of or noting the consonances of unison, octave, and fifth, as distinguished from those of the third and sixth. Compare imperfect (def. 6).
of or noting the intervals, harmonic or melodic, of an octave, fifth, and fourth in their normal form, as opposed to augmented and diminished.

Mathematics. (of a set) equal to its set of accumulation points.

Obsolete. assured or certain.

noun Grammar.

the perfect tense.

a verb form or construction in the perfect tense.Compare future perfect, pluperfect, present perfect.

verb (used with object)

to bring to completion; finish.

to bring to perfection; make flawless or faultless: He has succeeded in perfecting his recipe for chicken Kiev.

to bring nearer to perfection; improve; make better: She works hard to perfect her writing.

to make fully skilled.

Printing. to print the reverse of (a printed sheet).

OTHER WORDS FOR perfect

4 unblemished; flawless, faultless, picture-perfect.

See synonyms for perfect on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of perfect

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin perfectus, past participle of perficere “to finish, bring to completion” (per-per- + -fec-, combining form of facere “to make, do” (see do¹) + -tus past participle suffix); replacing Middle English parfit, from Old French, from Latin as above

usage note for perfect

A few usage guides still object to the use of comparison words such as more, most, nearly, almost, and rather with perfect on the grounds that perfect describes an absolute, yes-or-no condition that cannot logically be said to exist in varying degrees. The English language has never agreed to this limitation. Since its earliest use in the 13th century, perfect has, like almost all adjectives, been compared, first in the now obsolete forms perfecter and perfectest, and more recently with more, most, and similar comparison words: the most perfect arrangement of color and line imaginable. Perfect is compared in most of its general senses in all varieties of speech and writing. After all, one of the objectives of the writers of the U.S. Constitution was “to form a more perfect union.” See also complete, unique.

OTHER WORDS FROM perfect

per·fect·ed·ly, adverbper·fect·er, nounper·fect·ness, nounnon·per·fect·ed, adjective

quasi-perfect, adjectivequa·si-per·fect·ly, adverbself-per·fect·ing, adjectivesu·per·per·fect, adjectivesu·per·per·fect·ly, adverbun·per·fect, adjectiveun·per·fect·ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH perfect

perfect , prefect

Words nearby perfect

Perez Esquivel, Pérez Galdós, Perez-Reverte, perf., perfboard, perfect, perfecta, perfect binding, perfect cadence, perfect competition, perfect continuous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say perfect?

Something that is perfect conforms to an ideal or is entirely without flaws, defects, or shortcomings. How does perfect compare to synonyms entire, intact, and complete? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

How to use perfect in a sentence

However, many other hospitals in other parts of Virginia, including the 11 Sentara hospital group hospitals, received perfect 100 percent scores, the report shows.
HRC examines hospital policies, impact of COVID on LGBTQ people|Lou Chibbaro Jr.|September 16, 2020|Washington Blade
Seven years after its founding, Snowflake had perfected an amazing new way to run databases on cloud servers, but it was struggling to attract enough big corporate customers.
Meet Snowflake, one of the buzziest tech IPOs ever|Aaron Pressman|September 15, 2020|Fortune
So, having that public accountability, about what they think — and no one’s gonna be perfect on it — helps a lot.
What if Your Company Had No Rules? (Bonus Episode)|Maria Konnikova|September 12, 2020|Freakonomics
Oddly enough, it’s a perfect time to offer this, and I think it answers a demand, which is beauty brands by women of color.
Kimora Lee Simmons Talks Baby Phat Beauty And Self-Care|Hope Wright|September 11, 2020|Essence.com

Big Pharma is far from perfect—for example, there may be outlier companies that have charged rapacious prices on drugs.
On COVID-19 vaccines, Big Pharma knows to just say ‘no’|matthewheimer|September 11, 2020|Fortune
Estee Lauder has not crumbled to dust because the perfect brown face of Joan Smalls represents it.
One Vogue Cover Doesn’t Solve Fashion’s Big Race Problem|Danielle Belton|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Perfect Storm writer talks combat brotherhood and the threat posed by growing wealth inequality.
Sebastian Junger on War, Loss, and a Divided America|The Daily Beast Video|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So perfect that we wonder if we should risk ruining it by asking for yet another take.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards|Kevin Fallon|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Oscar-winning actress put nude photo thieves in their place with one perfect statement.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Righteous Fury Says Everything We Wanted to Say|Kevin O’Keeffe|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In our headlong quest for a legally perfect society, we don’t take the time to take stock of what‘s been created so far.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The afternoon was a lovely one—the day was a perfect example of the mellowest mood of autumn.
Confidence|Henry James
In the most perfect stillness, we arrived within two hundred paces of the enemy's camp.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
But if the Bible was written by men, some of them more or less inspired, then it would not, in all probability be wholly perfect.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
Even genius, however, needs direction and adjustment to secure the most perfect and reliable results.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
We stood staring after the fugitives in perfect bewilderment, totally unable to explain their apparently causeless panic.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for perfect

perfect

adjective (ˈpɜːfɪkt)

having all essential elements

unblemished; faultlessa perfect gemstone

correct or preciseperfect timing

utter or absolutea perfect stranger

excellent in all respectsa perfect day

maths exactly divisible into equal integral or polynomial roots36 is a perfect square

botany

(of flowers) having functional stamens and pistils
(of plants) having all parts present

grammar denoting a tense of verbs used in describing an action that has been completed by the subject. In English this is a compound tense, formed with have or has plus the past participle

music

of or relating to the intervals of the unison, fourth, fifth, and octave
Also: full, final (of a cadence) ending on the tonic chord, giving a feeling of conclusionCompare imperfect (def. 6)

archaic positive certain, or assured

noun (ˈpɜːfɪkt)

grammar

the perfect tense
a verb in this tense

verb (pəˈfɛkt) (tr)

to make perfect; improve to one's satisfactionhe is in Paris to perfect his French

to make fully accomplished

printing to print the reverse side of (a printed sheet of paper)

Derived forms of perfect

perfectness, noun

Word Origin for perfect

C13: from Latin perfectus, from perficere to perform, from per through + facere to do

usage for perfect

For most of its meanings, the adjective perfect describes an absolute state, i.e. one that cannot be qualified; thus something is either perfect or not perfect, and cannot be more perfect or less perfect. However when perfect means excellent in all respects, a comparative can be used with it without absurdity: the next day the weather was even more perfect

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

perfect

OTHER WORDS FOR perfect

Origin of perfect

usage note for perfect

OTHER WORDS FROM perfect

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH perfect

Words nearby perfect

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say perfect?

Words related to perfect

How to use perfect in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for perfect

Derived forms of perfect

Word Origin for perfect

usage for perfect