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View synonyms for terminate

terminate

[tur-muh-neyt]

verb (used with object)

terminated, terminating 
  1. to bring to an end; put an end to.

    to terminate a contract.

  2. to occur at or form the conclusion of.

    The countess's soliloquy terminates the play.

  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)

“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
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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
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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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of terminate1

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

The White House has given no indication that it plans similar relief for civilian federal workers, many of whom have been furloughed or terminated indefinitely since the shutdown began.

Read more on Salon

Meanwhile, confusion continues over whether terminated employees will receive retroactive pay once the shutdown ends — an issue that could soon add another legal battle to the widening crisis.

Read more on Salon

Cal terminated his scholarship when he left for Indiana, so he covered the cost of the two classes he needed to graduate with his NIL earnings.

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new generic version of a pill used to terminate pregnancies, a decision that comes as the Department of Health and Human Services reviews the drug’s safety.

The parents whose behavior was so crass that Los Angeles school consultant Sandy Eiges added a clause in her contract stating that the use of profanity could terminate their working relationship.

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terminal velocityterminating decimal