terminate

terminate — 動詞

1. to make a process, agreement, or activity stop, or to stop happening — for examp

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

終止；結束

使某事物停止或結束

to make a process, agreement, or activity stop, or to stop happening — for example, ending a contract, a phone call, a service, or a journey

例句

The airline terminated the flight route to Osaka after demand dropped sharply.

由於需求大幅下降，該航空公司終止了飛往大阪的航線。

transitive: terminate + [service/route]

Rohan's contract with the publishing house will terminate at the end of next month.

Rohan 與出版社的合約將在下個月底終止。

intransitive: [agreement] + will terminate

同義詞
  • end

    neutral and widely applicable; less formal than 'terminate'

  • cease

    slightly more formal; often used for processes or activities

  • cancel

    specifically for arrangements, subscriptions, or planned events

反義詞
  • begin

    the starting point of any process

  • commence

    formal opposite, often used in legal or official language

文法句型

terminate + [noun phrase]

terminate at/in [place/time]

be terminated

用法筆記

Frequently used in formal contexts such as legal documents, business contracts, and official notices. In everyday conversation, simpler verbs like 'end,' 'stop,' or 'cancel' are more common.

常見錯誤

❌I terminated my walk when it started raining.
✅I ended my walk when it started raining.
💡'terminate' sounds too formal for casual daily activities.

2. to officially dismiss someone from their job, typically because their performanc

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

解僱；開除

正式終止某人的僱用關係

to officially dismiss someone from their job, typically because their performance is not adequate or because the employer no longer needs them

例句

The factory terminated fifteen workers after receiving fewer orders from overseas.

由於來自海外的訂單減少，該工廠解僱了十五名工人。

transitive: terminate + [number] + workers

Nellie was terminated from her position as head nurse after the medication error.

Nellie 在用藥失誤後被解除了護理長職務。

passive: be terminated from [position]

同義詞
  • dismiss

    similar formality; common in British English

  • fire

    much less formal; direct and widely understood

  • lay off

    specifically when the reason is lack of work, not poor performance

反義詞
  • hire

    the opposite action — bringing someone into a job

  • employ

    to give work to someone on a continuing basis

文法句型

terminate + [employee/person]

be terminated from [position]

用法筆記

A formal or euphemistic term for 'fire' or 'sack.' Common in corporate HR language and legal employment documents. The passive form ('was terminated') is especially frequent because it avoids directly naming who made the decision.

常見錯誤

❌The boss terminated the receptionist yesterday.' (too personal for the boss–worker level)
✅The company terminated the receptionist's employment yesterday.
💡'terminate' pairs better with the employer as an organization or with 'employment' as the direct object.

3. to intentionally end a pregnancy through a medical procedure, usually during the

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

終止懷孕

透過醫療程序結束懷孕

to intentionally end a pregnancy through a medical procedure, usually during the early stages before the foetus can survive outside the womb

例句

Sana decided to terminate the pregnancy after discussing the options with her doctor.

Sana 在與醫生討論選項後，決定終止懷孕。

collocation: terminate + the pregnancy

The clinic offers free counselling for women who are considering terminating a pregnancy.

這間診所為正在考慮終止懷孕的女性提供免費諮詢。

同義詞
  • abort

    more direct and common; also refers to the medical procedure itself

  • end a pregnancy

    less formal circumlocution, used when a softer tone is desired

文法句型

terminate + pregnancy

terminate + a/the pregnancy

用法筆記

A formal medical term. In everyday conversation, 'have an abortion' is more common. This sense is often used in healthcare contexts, legal discussions about abortion rights, and professional medical writing.

常見錯誤

❌She terminated because she was not ready.
✅She decided to terminate the pregnancy because she was not ready.
💡The direct object 'the pregnancy' is almost always stated; omitting it sounds incomplete in formal English.

terminate — 形容詞