What does completion mean?
Completion is a noun that denotes the act of finishing something or the state of being finished and whole. Derived from the Latin verb complēre, meaning 'to fill up' or 'to fulfill', it entered English in the early modern period and has since become an indispensable term across many domains. In everyday use, completion signals that a task, project, journey, or course of study has been brought successfully to its end — as in 'the completion of the report' or 'completion of a degree'. It carries connotations of thoroughness, achievement, and finality, and is particularly at home in formal registers: contracts speak of work being paid 'upon completion', while schools issue certificates marking the completion of a program. In sports commentary, notably American football, a 'completion' describes a successfully caught forward pass. Related forms include the verb complete and the adjective complete, making completion part of a rich family of words all rooted in the idea of filling something full.
The act or process of finishing something, or the state of being finished and whole.
"The completion of the new hospital took nearly six years."
Frequently used in formal and administrative contexts, often in phrases like 'on completion' or 'upon completion'.
In American football, a forward pass that is successfully caught by a receiver.
"He threw three touchdowns and completed twenty-five completions in the game."
Primarily used in sports reporting and commentary.
The plural 'completions' is most commonly used in American football statistics to count successful passes, and occasionally in general contexts to refer to multiple separate acts of finishing.
"The quarterback recorded thirty completions over the course of the season."
The word completion shares its Latin root 'com-plere' (to fill up) with 'plenty' — to complete something is literally to fill it full.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of completion
Completion comes from the Latin verb complēre ('to fill up, to fulfill'), formed from com- ('together, thoroughly') and plēre ('to fill'). It entered English via Old French in the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period, initially carrying senses tied to fulfillment and wholeness. Its cognates include complement (from the same root, originally meaning 'that which fills up'), comply, and plenty — the latter borrowed through Old French from the related adjective plenus ('full').
Related word forms
How completion is actually used
Completion is a relatively formal noun, common in administrative, academic, legal, and project-management contexts. In everyday speech, words like 'end' or 'finish' are more common, but 'completion' carries a tone of formality and thoroughness. The phrase 'on completion' or 'upon completion' is especially frequent in contracts and official documents.
Easily confused with completion
A compilation is a collection of items gathered together, whereas a completion is the act of finishing something.
Complexion refers to the natural color and appearance of someone's skin, or figuratively the general character of something, while completion means the state of being finished.