What does terminate mean?
Word: Terminate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Terminate means to end, or to bring something to an end. A train or bus that terminates at a place stops there because that is the end of its route.
Synonyms: end, stop
How do you spell terminate?
Syllables: ter - mi - nate
Tricky part: The middle vowel is said quickly, so students write termenate or termanate. It is an i.
Watch out for: termenate, termanate
Memory tip: A bus terminal and the verb terminate share the same i in the middle, so let terminal remind you.
Terminate in a sentence
Example 1: Buses on this route terminate at the railway station.
Example 2: The match was terminated early because the ground was flooded.
Example 3: Papa decided to terminate the magazine subscription that nobody was reading.
Fun Fact
The word comes from Latin terminus, a boundary; a terminus is also the last station on a line, as in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
t_rmin_te
a) u, a
b) e, i
c) e, a
d) a, a
Show answer
c) e, a. The first part is spelt like term, and the ending is the ate of create.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
terminate
a) conclude
b) cease
c) commence
d) finish
Show answer
c) commence. To commence is to begin; the other three all mean to bring to a close.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
eitmanret
a) germinate
b) terminate
c) terminal
d) nominate
Show answer
b) terminate. Two t's and two e's, with no g or o: that pins it down.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) carriage
b) platform
c) terminate
d) pasenger
Show answer
d) pasenger. Passenger has a double s after the a.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A train terminates at London Paddington. What must passengers who want to go further do?
a) wait for it to go on
b) change to another train
c) move to the front coach
d) stay in their seats
Show answer
b) change to another train
2. Which of these could a school decide to terminate?
a) its contract with a canteen supplier
b) the distance to the nearest city
c) the length of a calendar year
d) the time the sun rises each day
Show answer
a) its contract with a canteen supplier
