Fulfil and fulfill are two spellings of the verb meaning to “to do or achieve what was hoped for or expected”, or “succeed in developing one’s abilities or qualities”.
Fulfill vs. fulfil
The spelling varies on whether you’re writing using UK or US English:
He will fulfill his promise.
They will fulfil their duties.
I am fulfiling my potential.
She fulfiled her dream.
- US English spells “fulfill” with a double L.
Word forms of fulfil/fulfill
The related word forms both use a double L; ‘fulfiling’ and ‘fulfiled’ are incorrect spellings and not recognized words in English.
- I’m not fulfilled by my career.
- We must find things in life we find fulfilling.
Meaning of fulfill
To fulfill is a transitive verb that can mean to “put something into effect”; e.g., to execute something (perhaps a plan or a strategy). Such as, “he fulfilled his pledge to cut taxes“.
Fulfill can also mean to satisfy the requirements of something, or meet expectations; e.g., “she hasn’t yet fulfilled the requirements needed to graduate“.
Also, to develop or reach your potential, as in “he has a lot of talent, but he hasn’t really fulfilled his potential“. In this sense, fulfil is similar to realize, achieve or reach.
Words like fulfill/fulfil (UK vs. US English)
Other words that vary in spelling between US and UK English follow a similar pattern as fulfil and fulfill; however, typically American spelling omits an additional letter rather than UK spelling.
Verbs such as cancel, travel, label and model all use a double L according to UK English rules (e.g., cancelled, modelled, labelled, travelled). US English prefers the single L and spells them as canceled, modeled, labeled and traveled.
| UK English | US English |
|---|---|
| travelling, travelled | traveling, travelled |
| modelling, modelled | modeling, modeled |
| labelling, labelled | labeling, labeled |
‘Fulfil’ / ‘fulfill’, used in sentences
| Word Form | Examples |
|---|---|
| Other | He amply fulfilled the weight of expectation that they had placed on him.
The building is still fulfilling its original purpose admirably. The movie doesn’t quite fulfil its promise. Fulfil your dreams with a new career. |
“fulfill” vs “fulfil,” associate US English with being “full” (two Ls) for “fulfill,” and UK English as being more “minimal” (one L) for “fulfil.”.
“Fulfil”/ “fulfill”, used in the media
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Educational prerequisites often include obtaining a master’s degree to fulfill the 150 semester-hour requirement. —Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024 |
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By ignoring their needs and prioritizing political posturing over practical solutions, Gov. Evers is failing to fulfill his promise to return the surplus to Wisconsin’s families and seniors. —Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 |
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Anyone drawn to Dune: Part 2 fulfills a freakish commercial obligation, like doing cinematic detention. —Armond White, National Review, 1 Mar. 2024 |
“Fulfil”/”fulfill”, synonyms
- achieve
- realize
- accomplish
- reach
- complete
- succeed
Origin of fulfil
From Etymonline on fulfil:
Old English fullfyllan “fill up” (a room, a ship, etc.), “make full; take the place of (something),” from full (adj.), here perhaps with a sense of “completion” + fyllan (see fill (v.)
Learn more about US English vs. UK English
| Commonly misused words | UK English vs. US English |
|---|---|
| former vs. latter | burned or burnt? |
| bear with vs. bare with | canceled or cancelled? |
| breathe or breath | favorite vs. favourite |
| compliment vs. complement | smelled or smelt? |
| effect vs. affect | gray or grey? |
| elude or allude | favor vs. favour |
| it’s or its | analyze or analyse? |
Worksheet
Which spelling is typically used for the base verb in US English?
Which spelling is typically used for the base verb in UK English?
According to the blog post, what is the correct spelling for the ‘-ing’ form?
What is the correct spelling for the past tense or past participle form?
The blog post mentions other verbs like ‘travel’ have a different pattern for ‘-ed’/’ing’ forms compared to ‘fulfil/fulfill’. Which is the correct US spelling for the past tense of ‘travel’?
In US English, he will _____ his promise.
In UK English, they will _____ their duties.
She is currently _____ the requirements.
He successfully _____ his dream.
According to the blog post, the spelling ‘fulfiled’ is considered _____.
FAQs
What are the spellings of ‘fulfill’?
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Is ‘fulfill’ or ‘fulfil’ US English?
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Is ‘fulfill’ or ‘fulfil’ UK English?
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How to spell ‘fulfilling’/’fulfilled’?
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Easy way to remember US vs UK spellings?
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- Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of fulfil.” Online Etymology Dictionary Accessed 13 February, 2024.
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, fulfil.
Yash, D. "How Do You Spell “Fulfill”? (Fulfill or Fulfil?)." Grammarflex, Sep 24, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/how-do-you-spell-fulfill-fulfill-or-fulfil/.
