cumplir (un plazo)
verbCEFR B2
What does “cumplir (un plazo)” mean in English?
to meet a deadline
to meet a deadline (cumplir el plazo de entrega — completing and delivering on time as agreed)
Example sentences
El equipo trabajó horas extra para cumplir el plazo de entrega sin necesidad de pedir una prórroga.
The team worked overtime to meet the delivery deadline without needing to request an extension.
Siempre cumplimos los plazos acordados con nuestros clientes, lo cual es una parte esencial de nuestra reputación.
We always meet the deadlines agreed with our clients, which is an essential part of our reputation.
Estamos dentro del plazo, así que no hay motivo para preocuparse en este momento.
We are within the deadline, so there is no cause for concern at this point.
How to use it
Cumplir un plazo means 'to meet a deadline'. The construction is cumplir + el plazo / la fecha / los plazos. Related collocations: dentro del plazo (within the deadline), fuera de plazo (past the deadline / late), incumplir el plazo (to miss the deadline — opposite). Cumplir los compromisos (to fulfil commitments) is a broader formula. Register: neutral to formal. At B2, learners need to distinguish between plazo (time limit / deadline) and fecha límite (the actual date of the limit) — both are used.
Common mistake
El plazo vs. la fecha límite: el plazo refers to the time period or the deadline as a concept; la fecha límite is the specific date. You can cumplir el plazo (meet the deadline) or superar el plazo (exceed the allotted time). The opposite verb is incumplir el plazo. Don't confuse el plazo (deadline) with el límite (limit/boundary) in general — context usually disambiguates, but in scheduling, el plazo is the standard term.