Fulfil vs. Fulfill: What’s the Difference?

The words fulfil and fulfill mean the same thing — to carry out, achieve, or satisfy something.
The only difference is spelling, which depends on regional English.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Fulfil → British English 🇬🇧
• Fulfill → American English 🇺🇸

1. Fulfil (British English)

Meaning

Used in British, Australian, and Canadian English, fulfil means to complete or meet expectations, duties, or dreams.

Examples (10 total)

1. She hopes to fulfil her childhood dream of becoming a writer.
2. He failed to fulfil his promise.
3. The team must fulfil all project requirements.
4. We need to fulfil our obligations.
5. This job helps her fulfil her potential.
6. They fulfilled (past tense) the contract on time.
7. The course fulfils the qualification criteria.
8. It’s important to fulfil your responsibilities.
9. His speech fulfilled everyone’s expectations.
10. The new design fulfils the company’s standards.

🧠 Tip:
If your audience is in the U.K., fulfil is the correct spelling.

“The company aims to fulfil its mission.” ✅

2. Fulfill (American English)

Meaning

In American English, fulfill is the standard spelling.
It means exactly the same thing as fulfil — just one extra “l.”

Examples (10 total)

1. She wants to fulfill her dream of traveling the world.
2. The company must fulfill all customer orders.
3. He never fulfilled his potential as an artist.
4. The job helps me fulfill my ambitions.
5. They worked hard to fulfill their duties.
6. We need to fulfill the legal requirements.
7. The promise was finally fulfilled.
8. This role allows her to fulfill her goals.
9. The new plan fulfills the city’s needs.
10. The system automatically fulfills online orders.

🧠 Tip:
If your audience is in the U.S., always use fulfill.

“We strive to fulfill our commitments.” ✅

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. Related Forms

So, the only spelling difference is the double “l” in fulfill / fulfillment in American English.

5. How to Remember

👉 Fulfil = shorter → British
👉 Fulfill = longer → American

💡 Memory Trick:

“America loves double letters — fulfill, traveled, canceled.”

6. Common Mistakes

❌ We need to fulfill our duties (in a U.K. document).
✅ We need to fulfil our duties.

❌ She hopes to fulfil her dreams (in a U.S. essay).
✅ She hopes to fulfill her dreams.

7. Why It’s Confusing

Both spellings appear everywhere online, so learners often wonder which one is correct.
The key is to stay consistent — choose one form based on your audience or location.

Modern AI writing assistants like Humanizey automatically adjust regional spellings like fulfil/fulfill, colour/color, and realise/realize depending on whether your tone is American or British.

FAQs

1. Which is correct — fulfil or fulfill?

Both are correct. Use fulfil in British English and fulfill in American English.

2. What about “fulfilment” vs “fulfillment”?

Same rule — fulfilment (British), fulfillment (American).

3. Are they pronounced differently?

No — both are pronounced the same: /fʊlˈfɪl/.

4. Should I stay consistent?

Yes. Don’t mix spellings within one document.

Practice: Choose the Correct Word (“Fulfil” or “Fulfill”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. She hopes to ___ her dream of becoming a doctor.
2. The company must ___ all legal requirements.
3. We need to ___ our promise to clients.
4. He was able to ___ his lifelong ambition.
5. The contract was successfully ___.
6. This new role will help you ___ your potential.
7. They failed to ___ their duties on time.
8. The team worked hard to ___ customer orders.
9. The system automatically ___ online requests.
10. Everyone should try to ___ their true purpose.

Answers

Use fulfil for British English and fulfill for American English — both are correct depending on the region.