Complete vs. Full: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Complete refers to something that is finished or made whole, with all parts included, whereas full implies being filled to capacity, leaving no room for more.
Key Differences
Complete describes a state where nothing is missing, and all necessary parts or elements are present, often implying a process that has reached its end. In contrast, full pertains to the maximum capacity of something, often a physical space, being entirely occupied or used.
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Nov 29, 2023
The word complete can be used to describe tasks, projects, or processes that have been finished or brought to a conclusion, with all requirements met. Full, however, is typically associated with the extent to which a container, place, or amount can hold or contain something.
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Nov 29, 2023
Completeness often involves a sequence or progression, where the final stage signifies that something is whole or complete. Fullness, on the other hand, refers to the state of having no additional space or capacity for more, like a full glass of water.
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Nov 29, 2023
Complete can also imply thoroughness or perfection, where every detail is attended to. Conversely, full can denote abundance or a large quantity, often more related to physical volume or extent.
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Nov 29, 2023
In summary, complete encompasses the idea of completion and wholeness in a process or entity, whereas full emphasizes the idea of maximum capacity or extent being reached.
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Nov 29, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
Finished, with all parts included
Filled to capacity, leaving no room for more
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Context
Tasks, projects, completeness in processes
Capacity, physical space, abundance
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Implication
Wholeness, perfection, thoroughness
Maximum capacity, abundance, no extra space
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Example Usage
Completing a puzzle, a project being complete
A full glass of water, a room being full
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Focus
Completion of stages or elements
Occupancy or content to the maximum extent
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Complete and Full Definitions
Complete
Finished, with all parts or elements present.
She felt a sense of achievement after completing the marathon.
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Full
Containing as much or as many as possible or reasonable.
The auditorium was full on the night of the concert.
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Nov 29, 2023
Complete
Having all necessary or normal parts, components, or steps.
He made a complete recovery after the surgery.
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Full
Not lacking or omitting anything; entire.
She had a full understanding of the subject matter.
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Nov 29, 2023
Complete
Having all necessary or normal parts, components, or steps; entire
A complete medical history.
A complete set of dishes.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Full
Maximum capacity or extent.
The tank is full, so we don't need to stop for gas.
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Nov 29, 2023
Complete
(Botany) Having all principal parts, namely, the sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil or pistils. Used of a flower.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Having come to an end; concluded
The renovation of the kitchen is complete.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Having a base runner at first, second, and third base
The bases were full when the slugger stepped up to bat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
To make whole, with all necessary elements or parts
A second child would complete their family. Fill in the blanks to complete the form.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
(Football) To throw (a forward pass) that is caught in bounds by a receiver.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
(ambitransitive) To finish; to make done; to reach the end.
He completed the assignment on time.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
(transitive) To make whole or entire.
The last chapter completes the book nicely.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
With all parts included; with nothing missing; full.
My life will be complete once I buy this new television.
She offered me complete control of the project.
After she found the rook, the chess set was complete.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Having an appetite completely satisfied, especially for food or drink
Was full after the Thanksgiving dinner.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Finished; ended; concluded; completed.
When your homework is complete, you can go and play with Martin.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Generic intensifier.
He is a complete bastard!
It was a complete shock when he turned up on my doorstep.
Our vacation was a complete disaster.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
In which every Cauchy sequence converges to a point within the space.
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Full
Completely absorbed or preoccupied
“He was already pretty full of himself” (Ron Rosenbaum).
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Complete
In which every semantically valid well-formed formula is provable.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
That is in a given complexity class and is such that every other problem in the class can be reduced to it (usually in polynomial time or logarithmic space).
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
To a complete extent; entirely. Sometimes used in combination
Knew full well.
Full blown.
Full-fledged.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Filled up; with no part or element lacking; free from deficiency; entire; perfect; consummate.
Ye are complete in him.
That thou, dead corse, again in complete steelRevisit'st thus the glimpses of the moon.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Finished; ended; concluded; completed; as, the edifice is complete.
This course of vanity almost complete.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Having all the parts or organs which belong to it or to the typical form; having calyx, corolla, stamens, and pistil.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
To increase the density and usually the thickness of (cloth) by shrinking and beating or pressing.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
To bring to a state in which there is no deficiency; to perfect; to consummate; to accomplish; to fulfill; to finish; as, to complete a task, or a poem; to complete a course of education.
Bred only and completed to the tasteOf lustful appetence.
And, to complete her bliss, a fool for mate.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Come or bring to a finish or an end;
He finished the dishes
She completed the requirements for her Master's Degree
The fastest runner finished the race in just over 2 hours; others finished in over 4 hours
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements;
A child would complete the family
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available.
The jugs were full to the point of overflowing.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Complete; with nothing omitted.
Our book gives full treatment to the subject of angling.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Write all the required information onto a form;
Fill out this questionnaire, please!
Make out a form
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Total, entire.
She had tattoos the full length of her arms.
He was prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Having every necessary or normal part or component or step;
A complete meal
A complete wardrobe
A complete set pf the Britannica
A complete set of china
A complete defeat
A complete accounting
An incomplete flower
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Completely empowered, authorized or qualified (in some role); not limited.
Full member
Full officer
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary qualities;
A complete gentleman
Consummate happiness
A consummate performance
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
(informal) Having eaten to satisfaction, having a "full" stomach; replete.
"I'm full," he said, pushing back from the table.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Having all four whorls or principal parts--sepals and petals and stamens and carpels (or pistils);
Complete flowers
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Replete, abounding with.
This movie doesn't make sense; it's full of plot holes.
I prefer my pizzas full of toppings.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
(of physical features) Plump, round.
Full lips; a full face; a full figure
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers;
An arrant fool
A complete coward
A consummate fool
A double-dyed villain
Gross negligence
A perfect idiot
Pure folly
What a sodding mess
Stark staring mad
A thoroughgoing villain
Utter nonsense
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Having come or been brought to a conclusion;
The harvesting was complete
The affair is over, ended, finished
The abruptly terminated interview
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
(of garments) Of a size that is ample, wide, or having ample folds or pleats to be comfortable.
A full pleated skirt;
She needed her full clothing during her pregnancy.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Entire, with nothing missing.
The collection is now complete with the final book's release.
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Nov 29, 2023
Complete
To make whole or perfect.
The last piece of evidence completed the puzzle.
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Nov 29, 2023
Full
(obsolete) Having the mind filled with ideas; stocked with knowledge; stored with information.
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Oct 19, 2023
Complete
Thorough, with attention to detail.
The report was complete and left no question unanswered.
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Nov 29, 2023
Full
Having the attention, thoughts, etc., absorbed in any matter, and the feelings more or less excited by it.
She's full of her latest project.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
(archaic) Fully; quite; very; thoroughly; completely; exactly; entirely.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Utmost measure or extent; highest state or degree; the state, position, or moment of fullness; fill.
I was fed to the full.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
(of the moon) The phase of the moon when its entire face is illuminated, full moon.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
(freestyle skiing) An aerialist maneuver consisting of a backflip in conjunction and simultaneous with a complete twist.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
To make cloth denser and firmer by soaking, beating and pressing; to waulk or walk.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Filled up, having within its limits all that it can contain; supplied; not empty or vacant; - said primarily of hollow vessels, and hence of anything else; as, a cup full of water; a house full of people.
Had the throne been full, their meeting would not have been regular.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Abundantly furnished or provided; sufficient in quantity, quality, or degree; copious; plenteous; ample; adequate; as, a full meal; a full supply; a full voice; a full compensation; a house full of furniture.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Not wanting in any essential quality; complete; entire; perfect; adequate; as, a full narrative; a person of full age; a full stop; a full face; the full moon.
It came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaohdreamed.
The man commandsLike a full soldier.
I can notRequest a fuller satisfactionThan you have freely granted.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Having the mind filled with ideas; stocked with knowledge; stored with information.
Reading maketh a full man.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Having the attention, thoughts, etc., absorbed in any matter, and the feelings more or less excited by it, as, to be full of some project.
Every one is full of the miracles done by cold baths on decayed and weak constitutions.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Complete measure; utmost extent; the highest state or degree.
The swan's-down feather,That stands upon the swell at full of tide.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Quite; to the same degree; without abatement or diminution; with the whole force or effect; thoroughly; completely; exactly; entirely.
The pawn I proffer shall be full as good.
The diapason closing full in man.
Full in the center of the sacred wood.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
To thicken by moistening, heating, and pressing, as cloth; to mill; to make compact; to scour, cleanse, and thicken in a mill.
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Containing as much or as many as is possible or normal;
A full glass
A sky full of stars
A full life
The auditorium was full to overflowing
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Constituting the full quantity or extent; complete;
An entire town devastated by an earthquake
Gave full attention
A total failure
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Complete in extent or degree and in every particular;
A full game
A total eclipse
A total disaster
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Having the normally expected amount;
Gives full measure
Gives good measure
A good mile from here
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Not separated into parts or shares; constituting an undivided unit;
An undivided interest in the property
A full share
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
To the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (`full' in this sense is used as a combining form);
Fully grown
He didn't fully understand
Knew full well
Full-grown
Full-fledged
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Oct 19, 2023
Full
Complete in every detail, thorough.
He gave a full account of his travels.
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Nov 29, 2023
Full
Abundant, well-supplied.
The garden was in full bloom with colorful flowers.
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Nov 29, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can a task be both complete and full?
Not typically, as they apply to different contexts.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can full refer to understanding?
Yes, like a full comprehension of a topic.
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Nov 29, 2023
Is complete used in academic contexts?
Yes, for finished research or studies.
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Nov 29, 2023
What's a complete solution?
A solution that addresses all aspects of a problem.
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Nov 29, 2023
How do you know when a project is complete?
When all goals or stages are achieved.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can a glass be full and complete?
Full in volume, but complete is not typically used in this context.
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Nov 29, 2023
Is a full stomach the same as a complete meal?
Full stomach refers to capacity, while a complete meal refers to having all meal components.
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Nov 29, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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