terminate

[tur-muh-neyt]

verb (used with object)

terminated, terminating 

1. to bring to an end; put an end to.

   to terminate a contract.

   Synonyms: complete, close, conclude, finish, end

2. to occur at or form the conclusion of.

   The countess's soliloquy terminates the play.

   Synonyms: complete, close, conclude, finish, end

3. to bound or limit spatially; form or be situated at the extremity of.

4. to dismiss from a job; fire.

   to terminate employees during a recession.

verb (used without object)

terminated, terminating 

1. to end, conclude, or cease.

2. (of a train, bus, or other public conveyance) to end a scheduled run at a certain place.

   This train terminates in New York.

3. to come to an end (often followed by at, in, orwith ).

4. to issue or result (usually followed byin ).

terminate

/ ˈtɜːmɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. to form, be, or put an end (to); conclude

   to terminate a pregnancy

   their relationship terminated amicably

2. (tr) to connect (suitable circuitry) to the end of an electrical transmission line to absorb the energy and avoid reflections

3. (intr) maths (of a decimal expansion) to have only a finite number of digits

4. slang,  (tr) to kill (someone)

Other Word Forms

• terminative adjective
• terminatively adverb
• nonterminative adjective
• nonterminatively adverb
• self-terminating adjective
• self-terminative adjective
• unterminated adjective
• unterminating adjective
• unterminative adjective
• terminatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of terminate¹

1580–90; verbal use of late Middle English terminate (adjective) “limited,” from Latin terminātus, past participle of termināre. See term, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of terminate¹

C16: from Latin terminātus limited, from termināre to set boundaries, from terminus end

Example Sentences

Cox terminated access only as a last resort.

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But a federal judge prevented them from doing so, ruling in July that they cannot terminate the status before the February 2026 expiration.

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Sonder tried to shore up its finances by negotiating deals with landlords to terminate leases in buildings where it was losing money, said Roman Pedan, chief executive of Kasa, a hotel and apartment rental manager.

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But the biggest cheer came when he talked about how he had stopped “a mortal threat to the franchise business model by terminating the infamous Obama joint-employer rule” during his first term.

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Furthermore, If your uncle held a long-term lease, it does not necessarily terminate upon his passing, according to TurboTenant, which provides property-management software.

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Related Words

• abolish 
• abort 
• adjourn 
• annul 
• cancel 
• cease 
• complete 
• conclude 
• cut off 
• determine 
• discharge 
• discontinue 
• dismiss 
• dissolve 
• eliminate 
• expire 
• halt 
• put an end to 
• recess 
• restrict