William Safire
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It’s no coincidence that replete and complete are close in meaning. Both words come from the Latin verb plēre, meaning "to fill," and both indicate that something contains all that is wanted, needed, or possible. There are some subtle differences in usage, however. Complete applies when all that is needed is present ("a complete picture of the situation"), whereas replete is the synonym of choice when fullness is accompanied by a sense of satiety ("the buffet was replete with dishes from all over the world"). Etymology fans may be interested to know that the list of plēre descendants doesn't end with these two; English is in fact replete with them. Some other words supplied by this Latin verb include deplete, expletive, implement, and supply.
Examples of replete in a Sentence
Steve Zeidman, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025
The first team is already replete with quality, including centre-back Christoph Klarer, former Manchester United full-back Ethan Laird and the energetic attacker Jay Stansfield, signed from Fulham for £15m, a record for a League One club.
—Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
The history of computing is replete with examples of information technology getting cheaper and smaller, becoming a commodity, and eventually being absorbed as a component into larger products.
—Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
From June to August 2025, the home will feature a special exhibition on Austen’s life in Winchester, replete with a film exploring her final days and several artifacts left behind after her passing.
—Cat Sposato, AFAR Media, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for replete
Cite this Entry
“Replete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/replete. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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replete
adjective
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