A completist is a person driven by a strong desire to possess or experience a complete set or collection of something, such as books, stamps, records, or experiences. They are often motivated by a sense of order, a passion for the subject matter, and a feeling of accomplishment when the collection is deemed complete. Completists may exhibit meticulous attention to detail, researching and seeking out even the rarest or most obscure items to achieve their goal. They are focused on the journey of completion as well as the finished collection and often take pride in having acquired and organized the collection or experiences and are dedicated to keeping the collection complete.
Completist meaning with examples
- The book collector, a dedicated completist, spent years tracking down every first edition of the author's works, scouring antique shops and online auctions to complete their collection, regardless of cost. Their dedication, in pursuit of owning a complete collection, was widely known, and they took great pride in the completeness.
- As a music completist, the record enthusiast diligently sought out every vinyl pressing of their favorite band, including limited edition releases and rare promotional copies. Every store and record fair was checked, and every opportunity taken to grow their collection. It was an unwavering pursuit to have every version.
- The museum curator, a historical completist, meticulously documented every artifact in their collection, creating an exhaustive database detailing provenance, condition, and historical context. They were driven to know everything, to provide the whole picture, driven by an unyielding desire for total understanding and documentation.
- The film completist meticulously cataloged every director's work. Their dedication to cinema saw them hunting down obscure titles and foreign releases to create an all-encompassing archive, a complete and comprehensive representation of the director's career and works. Their goal was total visual knowledge.
- A travel completist aimed to visit every country in the world, documenting their adventures with photographs and journals, creating a complete record of their global explorations. They had an unstoppable desire to see the whole world, visiting diverse places that made for a complete record of the world.