terminate

UK: /ˈtɜː^rmɪneɪt/ US: /ˈtɝməˌneɪt/ ,(tûr′mə nāt′)

Inflections of 'terminate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

terminates

v 3rd person singular

terminating

v pres p

terminated

v past

terminated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ter•mi•nate /ˈtɜrməˌneɪt/   v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing. 

1. to (cause to) come to an end;
   cease: [~ + object]
   vowed to terminate hostilities.
   [no object]
   When will hostilities terminate?
2. to dismiss from a job;
   fire:
   [~ + object] He was terminated from the company almost immediately.
3. Rail Transport (of a public conveyance) to end a scheduled run or flight at a certain place:
   [no object] The boat ride terminates in downtown Prague.

See -term-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ter•mi•nate  (tûr′mə nāt′), v., -nat•ed, -nat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to bring to an end;
   put an end to:
   to terminate a contract.
2. to occur at or form the conclusion of:
   The countess's soliloquy terminates the play.
3. to bound or limit spatially;
   form or be situated at the extremity of.
4. to dismiss from a job;
   fire:
   to terminate employees during a recession.

v.i. 

5. to end, conclude, or cease.
6. Rail Transport (of a train, bus, or other public conveyance) to end a scheduled run at a certain place:
   This train terminates in New York.
7. to come to an end (often fol. by at, in, or with).
8. to issue or result (usually fol. by in).

• Latin terminātus, past participle of termināre. See term, -ate¹
• verb, verbal use of late Middle English terminate (adjective, adjectival) limited 1580–90

ter′mi•na′tive, adj. 
ter′mi•na′tive•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. end, finish, conclude, close, complete.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

terminate / ˈtɜːmɪˌneɪt/ verb

1. when intr, often followed by in or with: to form, be, or put an end (to); conclude

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin terminātus limited, from termināre to set boundaries, from terminus end

ˈterminative adjective