# terminate

/ˈtɝməˌneɪt/ (US) · /tˈɜːmɪnˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/terminate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to end a process or contract

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to officially end something, like a contract, a meeting, or a plan.

For teachers: to bring a process, agreement, or activity to a formal conclusion. Transitive in this sense.

- The company decided to terminate the contract because the work was not finished on time.
- The legal department advised the board to terminate the partnership immediately following the discovery of the breach of confidentiality.

### 2. to fire an employee

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to end someone's job at a company.

For teachers: to end the employment of an individual, often for cause or due to restructuring. Used as a formal alternative to 'fire'.

- He was terminated from his position after he missed several important deadlines.
- The HR director clarified that the employee was not laid off but was terminated for repeated violations of the safety protocol.

### 3. to end a journey

verb · CEFR B1

when a bus, train, or plane reaches the final stop of its trip.

For teachers: of a public transport vehicle or route: to reach the final station or terminus. Intransitive in this sense.

- This train will terminate at London Victoria station.
- Due to engineering works on the line, all northbound services will terminate at the suburban station rather than the city centre.

### 4. to kill

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Humorous

to kill someone, often used in movies or by the police.

For teachers: to kill or assassinate a target. Often used as a euphemism in military or law enforcement contexts.

- In the science fiction movie, the robot was sent to terminate the hero.
- The spy was given strict orders to terminate the target if the negotiations failed to produce a peaceful resolution.

### 5. math/decimals

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

a number or decimal that has a clear end and does not go on forever.

For teachers: describing a decimal or mathematical series that has a finite number of digits or terms.

- The fraction one-half results in a terminating decimal of zero point five.
- Students must distinguish between terminating decimals and those that recur infinitely when performing long division.

Usage: Often used as the present participle 'terminating' acting as an adjective.

## Examples

- The company decided to terminate his contract early.
- The train will terminate at the next station, so all passengers must leave the carriages.
- The legal team advised the board to terminate the partnership immediately to avoid further liability after the breach of contract was discovered.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.