Terminates — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈtər-mə-ˌnāt/ ter·mi·nate

Meaning & Definition of Terminates

Terminates (verb)

  1. to form an ending
  2. to come to an end in time
  3. to extend only to a limit (such as a point or line); especially, to reach a terminus

Terminates (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

    "we need to terminate the discussion for this evening, but we'll resume tomorrow morning"

    similar: closes, closes out, completes, concludes, ends, finishes, rounds (off or out), winds up, wraps up, puts paid to (chiefly British), rings down the curtain (on)
    related: climaxes, crowns, consummates, perfects, halts, stops, suspends
    opposite: begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts

  2. to come to an end

    "this class will terminate with the arrival of Memorial Day"

    similar: breaks off, breaks up, ceases, closes, concludes, dead-ends, determines, dies, discontinues, elapses, ends, expires, finishes, goes, halts, lapses, leaves off, lets up, passes, quits, stops, winds up, winks (out), bites the dust
    related: desists (from), lays off (of), refrains (from), gives over (British), knocks off, packs (up or in), breaks down, conks (out), cuts out, stalls, pauses, stays, suspends, abates, peters (out), winds down
    opposite: continues, hangs on, persists
    near: draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts

  3. to mark the limits of

    "terminated the area set aside for the runners to change their clothes with a series of folding screens"

    similar: bounds, circumscribes, defines, delimits, demarcates, demarks, limits, marks (off)
    related: controls, determines, governs, delineates, describes

  4. to put to death deliberately

    "the operative's covert mission was to terminate the leader of the opposition"

    similar: assassinates, bumps off, croaks (slang), dispatches, does in, executes, gets, ices (slang), knocks off, liquidates, murders, neutralizes, offs (slang), puts away, rubs out, slays, snuffs, takes out, whacks (slang), does away with
    related: blows away, shoots, shoots down, blots out, carries off, claims, cuts down, destroys, fells, kills, smites, zaps, butchers, massacres, mows (down), slaughters, annihilates, eliminates, eradicates, exterminates, wipes out
    near: animates, raises, restores, resurrects, resuscitates, revives

  5. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "he was terminated for constantly coming in to work late"

    similar: axes, bounces, cans, cashiers, discharges, dismisses, fires, musters out, pink-slips, releases, removes, retires, sacks, turns off, sends packing, shows (someone) the door
    related: downsizes, excesses, furloughs, lays off, trims, boots (out), chucks (out), drums (out), kicks out, throws out, unseats, separates
    opposite: employs, engages, hires, retains, signs (up or on), takes on
    near: keeps, reemploys, rehires, contracts, subcontracts, recruits

Related Entry: Terminate (verb)

Terminate is a different word from Terminates. The synonyms below are for terminate, not for terminates.

  1. to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

    "we need to terminate the discussion for this evening, but we'll resume tomorrow morning"

    similar: close, close out, complete, conclude, end, finish, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up, put paid to (chiefly British), ring down the curtain (on)
    related: climax, crown, consummate, perfect, halt, stop, suspend
    opposite: begin, commence, inaugurate, open, start

  2. to come to an end

    "this class will terminate with the arrival of Memorial Day"

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, wind up, wink (out), bite the dust
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

  3. to mark the limits of

    "terminated the area set aside for the runners to change their clothes with a series of folding screens"

    similar: bound, circumscribe, define, delimit, demarcate, demark, limit, mark (off)
    related: control, determine, govern, delineate, describe

  4. to put to death deliberately

    "the operative's covert mission was to terminate the leader of the opposition"

    similar: assassinate, bump off, croak (slang), dispatch, do in, execute, get, ice (slang), knock off, liquidate, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, slay, snuff, take out, whack (slang), do away with
    related: blow away, shoot, shoot down, blot out, carry off, claim, cut down, destroy, fell, kill, smite, zap, butcher, massacre, mow (down), slaughter, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, exterminate, wipe out
    near: animate, raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive

  5. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "he was terminated for constantly coming in to work late"

    similar: ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, turn off, send packing, show (someone) the door
    related: downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat, separate
    opposite: employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    near: keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Terminates

The most common words with a similar meaning to Terminates:

Slang: croaks, ices, offs, whacks
Chiefly British: puts paid to
closes, closes out, completes, concludes, ends, finishes, rounds (off or out), winds up, wraps up, breaks off, breaks up, ceases, dead-ends, determines, dies, discontinues, elapses, expires, goes, halts, lapses, leaves off, lets up, passes, quits, stops, winks (out), bounds, circumscribes, defines, delimits, demarcates, demarks, limits, marks (off), assassinates, bumps off, dispatches, does in, executes

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Terminates

Words with the opposite meaning of Terminates:

begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts, continues, hangs on, persists, employs, engages, hires, retains, signs (up or on), takes on

Related Words for Terminates

climaxes, crowns, consummates, perfects, suspends, desists (from), lays off (of), refrains (from), gives over, packs (up or in), breaks down, conks (out), cuts out, stalls, pauses, stays, abates, peters (out), winds down, controls, governs, delineates, describes, blows away, shoots, shoots down, blots out, carries off, claims, cuts down

Near Antonyms of Terminates

draws out, extends, prolongs, protracts, animates, raises, restores, resurrects, resuscitates, revives, keeps, reemploys, rehires, contracts, subcontracts, recruits

Word Forms of Terminates

Inflections: terminated, terminating

Origin & Etymology of Terminates

First known use: 15th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Terminates

What does "Terminates" mean?

"Terminates" means to form an ending. As a verb, it is defined as: to form an ending. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Terminates"?

Other words for "Terminates" include closes, closes out, completes, concludes, ends, finishes, rounds (off or out) and winds up. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Terminates" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Terminates"?

There are 130 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Terminates". Common alternatives include closes, closes out, completes, concludes, ends, finishes, rounds (off or out), winds up, wraps up and breaks off.

What is a slang word for "Terminates"?

Slang words for "Terminates" include croaks, ices, offs and whacks.

What is the opposite of "Terminates"?

Antonyms of "Terminates" include begins, commences, inaugurates, opens, starts, continues, hangs on and persists. Near antonyms include draws out, extends, prolongs and protracts.

How do you use "Terminates" in a sentence?

Examples of "Terminates" in a sentence: "we need to terminate the discussion for this evening, but we'll resume tomorrow morning"; "this class will terminate with the arrival of Memorial Day"; "terminated the area set aside for the runners to change their clothes with a series of folding screens".

Is "Terminates" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Terminates" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Terminates"?

"Terminates" is pronounced /ˈtər-mə-ˌnāt/ and divided into syllables as ter·mi·nate.