auto-complete
noun
au·to-com·plete ˈȯ-(ˌ)tō-kəm-ˈplēt 
variants or autocomplete
: a feature found in many computer programs (such as those used for data entry, email editing, Internet searches, or word processing) that attempts to predict and automatically complete the current word or phrase as it is being entered by the program's user
compare auto-suggest
Examples of auto-complete in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Participants were asked, through an open-ended question with an auto-complete function, to name their current employer. —
Time Staff, Time, 25 Aug. 2025 Trump accused Google of censoring auto-complete suggestions related to the shooting. —Emily Price, PCMAG, 3 Aug. 2024 From Amazon product suggestions to Google auto-complete, AI has invaded nearly every aspect of our lives. —Big Think, 24 June 2024 Make sure customers can search by category, SKU or use-case, and consider adding an auto-complete function to quickly populate the search box with product suggestions as a user starts to type. 2. —Yoav Kutner, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024 In the case of our magic auto-complete, a more correct answer means output text that is more likely to follow the input. —Haomiao Huang, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2023 Further improvements to the user interface—including the kind of auto-complete software that’s standard on smartphones—should boost performance dramatically. —Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Time Staff, Time, 25 Aug. 2025 Trump accused Google of censoring auto-complete suggestions related to the shooting. —Emily Price, PCMAG, 3 Aug. 2024 From Amazon product suggestions to Google auto-complete, AI has invaded nearly every aspect of our lives. —Big Think, 24 June 2024 Make sure customers can search by category, SKU or use-case, and consider adding an auto-complete function to quickly populate the search box with product suggestions as a user starts to type. 2. —Yoav Kutner, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024 In the case of our magic auto-complete, a more correct answer means output text that is more likely to follow the input. —Haomiao Huang, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2023 Further improvements to the user interface—including the kind of auto-complete software that’s standard on smartphones—should boost performance dramatically. —Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Auto-complete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/auto-complete. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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