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Finish, complete, and end are similar, but they’re not used in exactly the same way.
Let’s look at the differences:
1. Finish (verb)
Finish means to stop doing something, or to reach the point when something is done. It’s common in everyday English.
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I finished my homework at 8:00.
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Have you finished eating?
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They finished the project last week.
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We finished cleaning the house just before the guests arrived.
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I can’t finish this book — it’s too boring.
👉 Finish is casual and focuses on the action coming to an end.
2. Complete (verb / adjective)
Complete is more formal. It means to finish all the parts of something, often in official, academic, or professional contexts.
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She completed her degree in 2022.
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Please complete the form and sign it.
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The team completed the construction ahead of schedule.
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He completed the training course successfully.
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We finally completed the puzzle after three hours.
👉 Complete emphasizes doing 100% of the task.
As an adjective, complete means whole, entire, or total.
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This is a complete set of tools. (all of them are included)
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The house was in complete darkness. (total darkness)
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He’s a complete beginner. (100% beginner, no experience)
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That’s complete nonsense. (total nonsense)
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We were in complete agreement. (total agreement)
👉 As an adjective, complete expresses the idea of entirely / totally.
3. End (verb / noun)
End can be a verb or a noun. As a verb, it means that something stops or concludes – often naturally, not necessarily by someone’s choice.
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The movie ended at midnight.
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The meeting will end at 5:00.
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Their friendship ended after the argument.
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Summer vacation is ending soon.
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His career ended when he broke his leg.
As a noun:
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I knew the end of the story would be sad.
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This is the end of the road.
👉 The word end describes when something stops or concludes, not the act of completing a task.
✅ Quick Summary:
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Finish = stop doing something (casual, everyday).
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Complete = do 100% of something (formal/professional).
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End = something comes to a conclusion (verb or noun).
