Finish vs. Complete — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Finish implies bringing something to an end; Complete denotes doing all parts or steps.
Difference Between Finish and Complete
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Finish and complete both indicate bringing something to an end, but finish emphasizes the act of ending itself, while complete emphasizes the state of being whole or fully done.
Using finish often suggests the conclusion of an action or task, whereas complete implies that every aspect or part has been addressed and nothing is left undone.
Finish can imply the final touches or last stages of a process, while complete implies a thorough and comprehensive conclusion.
In many contexts, finish and complete are interchangeable, but finish can imply a quick end, while complete can suggest careful attention to detail.
When one finishes a task, it means they have reached the end, but to complete it means ensuring every required or expected part is done.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Focus
End point of an action
Thoroughness and entirety
Implication
Can imply stopping an activity
Suggests fulfilling requirements
Connotation
Often implies a quick end
Implies careful attention to detail
Usage in Sentences
“I need to finish my homework.”
“I need to complete my project thoroughly.”
Emphasis
On the act of ending
On being whole or fully done
Compare with Definitions
Finish
To apply the final touches
He finished the painting with a few brush strokes.
Complete
To finish making or doing
She completed her degree in four years.
Finish
To conclude a period
The movie finishes at 10 PM.
Complete
To fulfill or satisfy
The training completed his requirements for the job.
Finish
To use up entirely
They finished their savings during the trip.
Complete
Having all necessary or normal parts, components, or steps; entire
A complete medical history.
A complete set of dishes.
Finish
To stop (doing an activity or task) after reaching the point at which there is nothing left to do
Finished cleaning the room.
Complete
(Botany) Having all principal parts, namely, the sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil or pistils. Used of a flower.
Finish
To bring to a required or desired state
Finish an assignment.
Finish a painting.
Complete
Having come to an end; concluded
The renovation of the kitchen is complete.
Finish
To arrive at or attain the end of
Finish a race.
Complete
Absolute; thorough
Complete control.
A complete mystery.
Finish
(Sports) To perform the last maneuver in (an offensive play), scoring a goal.
Complete
Accomplished; consummate
A complete musician.
Finish
To consume all of; use up
Finish a pie.
Finished off the pizza.
Complete
(Football) Caught in bounds by a receiver
A complete pass.
Finish
To give (wood, for example) a desired or particular surface texture.
Complete
To bring to a finish or an end
She has completed her studies.
Finish
To destroy; kill
Finished the injured horse with a bullet.
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.
Finish
To bring about the ruin of
The stock market crash finished many speculators.
Complete
(Football) To throw (a forward pass) that is caught in bounds by a receiver.
Finish
To come to an end; stop
A story that finishes with a twist.
Complete
(ambitransitive) To finish; to make done; to reach the end.
He completed the assignment on time.
Finish
To reach the end of a task, course, or relationship
The speaker finished with a rousing call to action.
Complete
(transitive) To make whole or entire.
The last chapter completes the book nicely.
Finish
(Sports) To score a goal as the last maneuver in a play
A good forward who just can't seem to finish.
Complete
(poker) To call from the small blind in an unraised pot.
Finish
The final part; the conclusion
Racers neck-and-neck at the finish.
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.
Finish
The reason for one's ruin; downfall
Stealing the computer codes proved to be his finish.
Complete
Finished; ended; concluded; completed.
When your homework is complete, you can go and play with Martin.
Finish
The last treatment or coating of a surface
Applied a shellac finish to the cabinet.
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.
Finish
The surface texture produced by such a treatment or coating.
Complete
In which every Cauchy sequence converges to a point within the space.
Finish
A material used in surfacing or finishing.
Complete
In which every set with a lower bound has a greatest lower bound.
Finish
Completeness, refinement, or smoothness of execution; polish.
Complete
In which all small limits exist.
Finish
The flavor left in the mouth after wine has been swallowed.
Complete
In which every semantically valid well-formed formula is provable.
Finish
An end; the end of anything.
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).
Finish
A protective coating given to wood or metal and other surfaces.
The car's finish was so shiny and new.
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.
Finish
The result of any process changing the physical or chemical properties of cloth.
Complete
Finished; ended; concluded; completed; as, the edifice is complete.
This course of vanity almost complete.
Finish
A finishing touch; careful elaboration; polish.
Complete
Having all the parts or organs which belong to it or to the typical form; having calyx, corolla, stamens, and pistil.
Finish
(sports) A shot on goal, especially one that ends in a goal.
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.
Finish
(transitive) To complete (something).
Be sure to finish your homework before you go to bed!
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
Finish
(transitive) To apply a treatment to a surface or similar.
The furniture was finished in teak veneer.
Complete
Bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements;
A child would complete the family
Finish
(transitive) To change an animal's food supply in the months before it is due for slaughter, with the intention of fattening the animal.
Due to BSE, cows in the United Kingdom must be finished and slaughtered before 30 months of age.
Complete
Complete or carry out;
Discharge one's duties
Finish
(intransitive) To come to an end.
We had to leave before the concert had finished.
Complete
Complete a pass
Finish
(transitive) To put an end to; to destroy.
These rumours could finish your career.
Complete
Write all the required information onto a form;
Fill out this questionnaire, please!
Make out a form
Finish
To reach orgasm.
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
Finish
To arrive at the end of; to bring to an end; to put an end to; to make an end of; to terminate.
And heroically hath finishedA life heroic.
Complete
Perfect and complete in every respect; having all necessary qualities;
A complete gentleman
Consummate happiness
A consummate performance
Finish
To bestow the last required labor upon; to complete; to bestow the utmost possible labor upon; to perfect; to accomplish; to polish.
Complete
Having all four whorls or principal parts--sepals and petals and stamens and carpels (or pistils);
Complete flowers
Finish
To come to an end; to terminate.
His days may finish ere that hapless time.
Complete
Highly skilled;
An accomplished pianist
A complete musician
Finish
To end; to die.
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
Finish
That which finishes, puts an end to or perfects.
Complete
Having come or been brought to a conclusion;
The harvesting was complete
The affair is over, ended, finished
The abruptly terminated interview
Finish
The joiner work and other finer work required for the completion of a building, especially of the interior. See Inside finish, and Outside finish.
Complete
To make whole or perfect
She completed her collection of rare books.
Finish
The labor required to give final completion to any work; hence, minute detail, careful elaboration, or the like.
Complete
To carry out fully
He completed the task with precision.
Finish
The result of completed labor, as on the surface of an object; manner or style of finishing; as, a rough, dead, or glossy finish given to cloth, stone, metal, etc.
Complete
To bring to an end
They completed their journey across Europe.
Finish
Completion; - opposed to start, or beginning.
Finish
A decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance);
The boat had a metallic finish
He applied a coat of a clear finish
When the finish is too thin it is difficult to apply evenly
Finish
Designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race);
Excitement grew as the finish neared
My horse was several lengths behind at the finish
The winner is the team with the most points at the finish
Finish
The act of finishing;
His best finish in a major tournament was third
The speaker's finishing was greeted with applause
Finish
The place designated as the end (as of a race or journey);
A crowd assembled at the finish
He was nearly exhuasted as their destination came into view
Finish
The temporal end; the concluding time;
The stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell
The market was up at the finish
They were playing better at the close of the season
Finish
(wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed);
The wine has a nutty flavor and a pleasant finish
Finish
Event whose occurrence ends something;
His death marked the ending of an era
When these final episodes are broadcast it will be the finish of the show
Finish
The downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict);
Booze will be the finish of him
It was a fight to the finish
Finish
A highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality;
They performed with great polish
I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose
Almost an inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is almost art
Finish
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
Finish
Finally be or do something;
He ended up marrying his high school sweetheart
He wound up being unemployed and living at home again
Finish
Have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical;
The bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed
Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other
My property ends by the bushes
The symphony ends in a pianissimo
Finish
Provide with a finish;
The carpenter finished the table beautifully
Finish
Finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table;
She polished off the remaining potatoes
Finish
Cause to finish a relationship with somebody;
That finished me with Mary
Finish
To bring something to an end
She managed to finish the marathon despite the pain.
Finish
To consume completely
They finished the cake in one sitting.
Common Curiosities
Is "complete" used for tasks with multiple steps or parts?
Yes, especially when all parts need to be addressed.
Does "complete" imply thoroughness?
Yes, it often suggests thoroughness and attention to detail.
Can "finish" imply a quick end?
Yes, it can suggest a quick or abrupt end.
Can "finish" imply the last touches?
Yes, like finishing touches on artwork.
Can "finish" be used for consumables?
Yes, like finishing a meal or a drink.
Is "complete" used for formal or official completions?
Often yes, like completing a course or a formal process.
Does "complete" carry a sense of fulfillment?
Yes, it can imply fulfillment or satisfaction of requirements.
Can "finish" refer to using up resources?
Yes, like finishing resources or supplies.
Can "finish" be used for the end of an event?
Yes, like finishing a concert or a game.
Can "finish" and "complete" be used interchangeably?
In many contexts, yes, but subtle differences in meaning can affect usage.
Is "finish" more about the action or the result?
It’s more about the action or the process of ending.
Does "complete" imply nothing left undone?
Yes, it suggests thoroughness and completeness.
Does "complete" suggest a sense of achievement?
Yes, completing something often carries a sense of achievement.
Can "finish" suggest the end of a time period?
Yes, like finishing at a certain time.
Is "complete" more suitable for academic or professional contexts?
Yes, it's often used in such contexts.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Insole vs. Sole
Next Comparison
Case vs. CartonAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
