3 syllables: com, ple, ted. Stress on ple.
kuhm-PLEE-tuhd
/kəmˈplitəd/
completed is pronounced kuhm-PLEE-tuhd (/kəmˈplitəd/). It has three syllables (com-ple-ted), with the stress on "ple". Completed is the past participle of complete. It conveys that something has been finished or brought to an end. In pronunciation, the word typically functions in unstressed contexts within larger phrases, and its final -ed suffix can influence rhythm and vowel length in connected speech.
Completed is the past participle of complete. It conveys that something has been finished or brought to an end. In pronunciation, the word typically functions in unstressed contexts within larger phrases, and its final -ed suffix can influence rhythm and vowel length in connected speech.
"I completed the report yesterday and sent it to the client."
"The project was completed ahead of schedule, which impressed the team."
"Once you completed the form, you’ll receive a confirmation email."
Pronounce as /kəmˈpliːtɪd/ in US and UK English, with the primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a schwa /kə/ or /kəm/ chain, then /ˈpliː/ (long E) for the second syllable, and finish with a light /tɪd/ or /d/ depending on speed. In careful speech, keep the /iː/ clear; in fast speech, the /t/ can be flapped or softened.
Common errors include misplacing the stress, producing /ˈkɒm/ or /kə/ instead of /kə/. Another error is pronouncing the final /tɪd/ as a hard /t/ without linking, or dropping the /d/ in casual speech, making it /kəmˈpliːt/. Finally, some speakers shorten /pliː/ to /pli/ and omit the final vowel length. Correct by preserving /ˈpliː/ and making the final /d/ sound or a light /ɪd/.
In US and UK, the primary stress remains on the second syllable /ˈpliː/. US pronunciation may be slightly rhotic in preceding vowels, but /ɪd/ ending persists. Australian English often features a slightly sharper /ːiː/ and a lighter /d/ at the end; some speakers may fuse /tɪd/ into /tə/ or /d/. The final /d/ can become a tap [ɾ] in rapid speech, especially in American varieties, and some Australians may use a more diffuse ending.
The challenge lies in the consonant cluster at the end and the vowel length in the middle: /kəmˈpliːtɪd/. The /ː/ in /pliː/ must be held long enough before the /tɪd/, and the final /d/ can be unreleased in fast speech. Also, many learners misplace stress or apply a non-native vowel quality to /iː/. Mastery requires practicing the two-syllable core then integrating a clear/voiced final.
A unique aspect is preserving the secondary syllable vowel length /ˈpliː/ with a distinct long /iː/ before the alveolar /tɪd/. Some learners over-simplify to /ˈplɪt/ or /ˈplɛd/; ensure the vowel is long and the /t/ is lightly released into the /ɪd/. The most word-accurate form remains /kə m ˈpliː tɪd/ with a clear /ː/ in the stressed syllable.
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US: Rhoticity may influence the preceding schwa, but stress remains on /ˈpliː/. UK: Similar but with slightly crisper /t/; AU: May show a more centralized vowel before /tɪd/ and a softer /d/. Use IPA: US /kəˈmpliːtɪd/, UK /kəˈmpliːtɪd/, AU /kəˈmpliːtɪd/. Focus on keeping the long /iː/ and a light, released /d/.
Completed derives from the Latin root complētus, from complētō, meaning “filled up, full.” The Latin prefix com- intensifies pleō, meaning “to fill.” In Old French, the verb escalated to completer, meaning “to finish, accomplish.” English borrowed the term as complete in the Middle English period, with -ed inflection added to form the past tense and past participle. The pronunciation evolved from a clearer syllabic -ed ending to the more typical -tɪd or -d in many dialects, especially when followed by a consonant cluster in rapid speech. The modern form completed first attested in Early Modern English writing shows the two-syllable rhythm /kəmˈpliːtɪd/ in many dialects, though connected speech often reduces the final syllable. The verb’s usage broadened from “to fill” to “to finish a task,” reflecting the shift from a physical sense of completion to a broader semantic scope of accomplishment and finalization. First known uses appear in legal and administrative documents where tasks were “completed” or “fulfilled,” later expanding into general discourse as a common past participle in narrative and descriptive contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "completed" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "completed" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "completed"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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