fulfill

English

Alternative forms

• (UK) fulfil

Etymology

From Middle English fulfillen, from Old English fullfyllan (“to fill full”), corresponding to ful- +‎ fill.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fʊlˈfɪl/, IPA^(key): /fəˈfɪl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪl

Verb

fulfill (third-person singular simple present fulfills, present participle fulfilling, simple past and past participle fulfilled) (American spelling)

1. To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.).

   You made a promise, son, and now you must fulfill it.

2. To emotionally or artistically satisfy; to develop one's gifts to the fullest.

   This is the most fulfilling work I've ever done.

3. To obey, follow, comply with (a rule, requirement etc.).

   Unfortunately, you don't fulfill the criteria for extra grants at the present time.

4. (archaic) To fill full; fill to the utmost capacity; fill up.

   My lady is positively fulfilled of grace.

   • 1870, James Thomson, The City of Dreadful Night

     The silence which benumbs or strains the sense

     Fulfils with awe the soul's despair unweeping

Derived terms

• fulfilled
• fulfilling
• fulfillable
• (chiefly US) fulfillment; (UK) fulfilment
• unfulfilled

Translations

See also: carry out

to carry out

• Arabic: أَوْفَى (ʔawfā)
• Belarusian: выко́нваць impf (vykónvacʹ), вы́канаць pf (výkanacʹ)
• Bulgarian: извършвам (bg) (izvǎršvam), изпълнявам (bg) (izpǎlnjavam)
• Catalan: complir (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 履行 (zh) (lǚxíng)

• Czech: splnit (cs) pf
• Dutch: vervullen (nl)
• Esperanto: plenumi (eo)
• Finnish: täyttää (fi)
• French: combler (fr), satisfaire (fr)
• German: erfüllen (de), einhalten (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: τελέω (teléō), τελῶ (telô)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hungarian: bevált (hu)
• Irish: comhlíon
• Italian: completare (it)
• Latin: pleo
• Macedonian: исполни (ispolni)
• Maori: whakahei, whakatutuki, whakatūtataki
• Old Saxon: āfullian
• Polish: spełniać (pl) impf, wypełniać (pl) impf
• Portuguese: realizar (pt), cumprir (pt)
• Romanian: împlini (ro)
• Russian: исполня́ть (ru) impf (ispolnjátʹ), испо́лнить (ru) pf (ispólnitʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: coilean
• Slovak: splniť pf, plniť
• Spanish: cumplir (es)
• Swedish: uppfylla (sv)

to satisfy emotionally

• Chinese:
• Finnish: tyydyttää (fi)
• German: erfüllen (de)
• Italian: soddisfare (it)
• Mandarin: 履行 (zh) (lǚxíng)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: realizar (pt), satisfazer (pt)
• Romanian: satisface (ro)
• Russian: выполня́ть (ru) impf (vypolnjátʹ), вы́полнить (ru) pf (výpolnitʹ), исполня́ть (ru) impf (ispolnjátʹ), испо́лнить (ru) pf (ispólnitʹ), осуществля́ть (ru) impf (osuščestvljátʹ), осуществи́ть (ru) pf (osuščestvítʹ)
• Slovak: napĺňať
• Spanish: realizar (es), satisfacer (es)

to comply with

• Finnish: täyttää (fi)
• German: erfüllen (de)
• Hungarian: eleget tesz (hu)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Irish: comhlíon
• Portuguese: satisfazer (pt)
• Russian: удовлетворя́ть (ru) impf (udovletvorjátʹ), удовлетвори́ть (ru) pf (udovletvorítʹ)
• Slovak: splniť, spĺňať