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
Michael Allen, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2025
Inside, the 300-year-old tiled floor on the main level mirrors the pattern the Princes found in a Roman church one day, replete with the fingerprints (and an animal’s paw prints) of long-ago makers.
—Mary Forgione, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Russell and Tolstoy did not spare their readers, depicting ghastly scenes replete with torn and bloodied bodies and decomposing animal carcasses.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The Daily Telegraph reported that Starmer will present Trump with an invitation from King Charles III for a state visit replete with royal pomp and pageantry.
—Sylvie Corbet, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 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 4 Mar. 2025.
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replete
adjective
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