diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index f8780ab3ee5..0ad234a3ad6 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ repos:
     hooks:
       - id: shfmt-docker
         types: [text]
-        files: ^(bash_completion|completions/.+|test/(config/bashrc|update-test-cmd-list)|.+\.sh(\.in)?)$
+        files: ^(bash_completion(\.d/[0-9]{3}_.+)?|completions/.+|test/(config/bashrc|update-test-cmd-list)|.+\.sh(\.in)?)$
         exclude: ^completions/(\.gitignore|Makefile.*)$
 
   - repo: https://github.com/shellcheck-py/shellcheck-py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ repos:
       - id: shellcheck
         args: [-f, gcc]
         types: [text]
-        files: ^(bash_completion|completions/.+|test/(config/bashrc|update-test-cmd-list)|.+\.sh(\.in)?)$
+        files: ^(bash_completion(\.d/[0-9]{3}_.+)?|completions/.+|test/(config/bashrc|update-test-cmd-list)|.+\.sh(\.in)?)$
         exclude: ^completions/(\.gitignore|Makefile.*)$
         require_serial: false  # We disable SC1090 anyway, so parallel is ok
 
diff --git a/bash_completion b/bash_completion
index 11588d6cf3d..68f8fac40d4 100644
--- a/bash_completion
+++ b/bash_completion
@@ -223,13 +223,13 @@ _comp_unlocal()
 
 # Assign variables one scope above the caller
 # Usage: local varname [varname ...] &&
-#        _upvars [-v varname value] | [-aN varname [value ...]] ...
+#        _comp_upvars [-v varname value] | [-aN varname [value ...]] ...
 # Available OPTIONS:
 #     -aN  Assign next N values to varname as array
 #     -v   Assign single value to varname
 # @return  1 if error occurs
 # @see https://fvue.nl/wiki/Bash:_Passing_variables_by_reference
-_upvars()
+_comp_upvars()
 {
     if ! (($#)); then
         echo "bash_completion: $FUNCNAME: usage: $FUNCNAME" \
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ _comp_looks_like_path()
 # @param $2 words  Name of variable to return words to
 # @param $3 cword  Name of variable to return cword to
 #
-__reassemble_comp_words_by_ref()
+_comp__reassemble_words()
 {
     local exclude i j line ref
     # Exclude word separator characters?
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref()
             printf -v "$2[i]" %s "${COMP_WORDS[i]}"
         done
     fi
-} # __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref()
+} # _comp__reassemble_words()
 
 # @param $1 exclude  Characters out of $COMP_WORDBREAKS which should NOT be
 #     considered word breaks. This is useful for things like scp where
@@ -463,11 +463,11 @@ __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref()
 # @param $2 words  Name of variable to return words to
 # @param $3 cword  Name of variable to return cword to
 # @param $4 cur  Name of variable to return current word to complete to
-# @see __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref()
-__get_cword_at_cursor_by_ref()
+# @see _comp__reassemble_words()
+_comp__get_cword_at_cursor()
 {
     local cword words=()
-    __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref "$1" words cword
+    _comp__reassemble_words "$1" words cword
 
     local i cur="" index=$COMP_POINT lead=${COMP_LINE:0:COMP_POINT}
     # Cursor not at position 0 and not led by just space(s)?
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ __get_cword_at_cursor_by_ref()
         ((index < 0)) && index=0
     fi
 
-    local "$2" "$3" "$4" && _upvars -a${#words[@]} "$2" ${words+"${words[@]}"} \
+    local "$2" "$3" "$4" && _comp_upvars -a${#words[@]} "$2" ${words+"${words[@]}"} \
         -v "$3" "$cword" -v "$4" "${cur:0:index}"
 }
 
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ __get_cword_at_cursor_by_ref()
 # (For example, if the line is "ls foobar",
 # and the cursor is here -------->   ^
 # Also one is able to cross over possible wordbreak characters.
-# Usage: _get_comp_words_by_ref [OPTIONS] [VARNAMES]
+# Usage: _comp_get_words [OPTIONS] [VARNAMES]
 # Available VARNAMES:
 #     cur         Return cur via $cur
 #     prev        Return prev via $prev
@@ -527,9 +527,9 @@ __get_cword_at_cursor_by_ref()
 #
 # Example usage:
 #
-#    $ _get_comp_words_by_ref -n : cur prev
+#    $ _comp_get_words -n : cur prev
 #
-_get_comp_words_by_ref()
+_comp_get_words()
 {
     local exclude flag i OPTIND=1
     local cur cword words=()
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ _get_comp_words_by_ref()
         ((OPTIND += 1))
     done
 
-    __get_cword_at_cursor_by_ref "${exclude-}" words cword cur
+    _comp__get_cword_at_cursor "${exclude-}" words cword cur
 
     [[ -v vcur ]] && {
         upvars+=("$vcur")
@@ -583,21 +583,7 @@ _get_comp_words_by_ref()
         upargs+=(-a${#words[@]} $vwords ${words+"${words[@]}"})
     }
 
-    ((${#upvars[@]})) && local "${upvars[@]}" && _upvars "${upargs[@]}"
-}
-
-# Get word previous to the current word.
-# This is a good alternative to `prev=${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD-1]}' because bash4
-# will properly return the previous word with respect to any given exclusions to
-# COMP_WORDBREAKS.
-# @deprecated  Use `_get_comp_words_by_ref cur prev' instead
-# @see _get_comp_words_by_ref()
-#
-_get_pword()
-{
-    if ((COMP_CWORD >= 1)); then
-        _get_cword "${@-}" 1
-    fi
+    ((${#upvars[@]})) && local "${upvars[@]}" && _comp_upvars "${upargs[@]}"
 }
 
 # If the word-to-complete contains a colon (:), left-trim COMPREPLY items with
@@ -662,7 +648,7 @@ _quote_readline_by_ref()
             value=${value//'%'/%%} # Escape % for printf format.
             # shellcheck disable=SC2059
             printf -v value "$value" # Decode escape sequences of \....
-            local "$2" && _upvars -v "$2" "$value"
+            local "$2" && _comp_upvars -v "$2" "$value"
         fi
     fi
 } # _quote_readline_by_ref()
@@ -909,7 +895,7 @@ _comp_variable_assignments()
 # cur, prev, words, and cword are local, ditto split if you use -s.
 #
 # Options:
-#     -n EXCLUDE  Passed to _get_comp_words_by_ref -n with redirection chars
+#     -n EXCLUDE  Passed to _comp_get_words -n with redirection chars
 #     -e XSPEC    Passed to _filedir as first arg for stderr redirections
 #     -o XSPEC    Passed to _filedir as first arg for other output redirections
 #     -i XSPEC    Passed to _filedir as first arg for stdin redirections
@@ -957,7 +943,7 @@ _comp_initialize()
 
     COMPREPLY=()
     local redir='@(?(+([0-9])|{[a-zA-Z_]*([a-zA-Z_0-9])})@(>?([>|&])|<?([>&])|<<?([-<]))|&>?(>))'
-    _get_comp_words_by_ref -n "$exclude<>&" cur prev words cword
+    _comp_get_words -n "$exclude<>&" cur prev words cword
 
     # Complete variable names.
     _variables && return 1
@@ -1696,7 +1682,7 @@ _realcommand()
 
 # This function returns the first argument, excluding options
 # @param $1 chars  Characters out of $COMP_WORDBREAKS which should
-#     NOT be considered word breaks. See __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref.
+#     NOT be considered word breaks. See _comp__reassemble_words.
 _get_first_arg()
 {
     local i
@@ -1712,13 +1698,13 @@ _get_first_arg()
 
 # This function counts the number of args, excluding options
 # @param $1 chars  Characters out of $COMP_WORDBREAKS which should
-#     NOT be considered word breaks. See __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref.
+#     NOT be considered word breaks. See _comp__reassemble_words.
 # @param $2 glob   Options whose following argument should not be counted
 # @param $3 glob   Options that should be counted as args
 _count_args()
 {
     local i cword words
-    __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref "${1-}" words cword
+    _comp__reassemble_words "${1-}" words cword
 
     args=1
     for ((i = 1; i < cword; i++)); do
@@ -2177,7 +2163,7 @@ _comp_command_offset()
 
     COMPREPLY=()
     local cur
-    _get_comp_words_by_ref cur
+    _comp_get_words cur
 
     if ((COMP_CWORD == 0)); then
         local IFS=$'\n'
diff --git a/bash_completion.d/000_bash_completion_compat b/bash_completion.d/000_bash_completion_compat
index 4ee534ff509..4d76f680e1a 100644
--- a/bash_completion.d/000_bash_completion_compat
+++ b/bash_completion.d/000_bash_completion_compat
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ _comp_deprecate_func _command_offset _comp_command_offset
 _comp_deprecate_func _command _comp_command
 _comp_deprecate_func _root_command _comp_root_command
 _comp_deprecate_func _xfunc _comp_xfunc
+_comp_deprecate_func _upvars _comp_upvars
+_comp_deprecate_func __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref _comp__reassemble_words
+_comp_deprecate_func __get_cword_at_cursor_by_ref _comp__get_cword_at_cursor
+_comp_deprecate_func _get_comp_words_by_ref _comp_get_words
 
 # Backwards compatibility for compat completions that use have().
 # @deprecated should no longer be used; generally not needed with dynamically
@@ -47,14 +51,15 @@ dequote()
 # @param $1  Variable name to assign value to
 # @param $*  Value(s) to assign.  If multiple values, an array is
 #            assigned, otherwise a single value is assigned.
-# NOTE: For assigning multiple variables, use '_upvars'.  Do NOT
+# NOTE: For assigning multiple variables, use '_comp_upvars'.  Do NOT
 #       use multiple '_upvar' calls, since one '_upvar' call might
 #       reassign a variable to be used by another '_upvar' call.
 # @see https://fvue.nl/wiki/Bash:_Passing_variables_by_reference
+# @deprecated  Use `_comp_upvars' instead
 _upvar()
 {
     echo "bash_completion: $FUNCNAME: deprecated function," \
-        "use _upvars instead" >&2
+        "use _comp_upvars instead" >&2
     if unset -v "$1"; then # Unset & validate varname
         # shellcheck disable=SC2140  # TODO
         if (($# == 2)); then
@@ -78,13 +83,13 @@ _upvar()
 #     current word (default is 0, previous is 1), respecting the exclusions
 #     given at $1.  For example, `_get_cword "=:" 1' returns the word left of
 #     the current word, respecting the exclusions "=:".
-# @deprecated  Use `_get_comp_words_by_ref cur' instead
-# @see _get_comp_words_by_ref()
+# @deprecated  Use `_comp_get_words cur' instead
+# @see _comp_get_words()
 _get_cword()
 {
     local LC_CTYPE=C
     local cword words
-    __reassemble_comp_words_by_ref "${1-}" words cword
+    _comp__reassemble_words "${1-}" words cword
 
     # return previous word offset by $2
     if [[ ${2-} && ${2//[^0-9]/} ]]; then
@@ -125,8 +130,23 @@ _get_cword()
     fi
 } # _get_cword()
 
+# Get word previous to the current word.
+# This is a good alternative to `prev=${COMP_WORDS[COMP_CWORD-1]}' because bash4
+# will properly return the previous word with respect to any given exclusions to
+# COMP_WORDBREAKS.
+# @deprecated  Use `_comp_get_words cur prev' instead
+# @see _comp_get_words()
+#
+_get_pword()
+{
+    if ((COMP_CWORD >= 1)); then
+        _get_cword "${@-}" 1
+    fi
+}
+
 # @deprecated Use the variable `_comp_backup_glob` instead.  This is the
 # backward-compatibility name.
+# shellcheck disable=SC2154  # defined in the main "bash_completion"
 _backup_glob=$_comp_backup_glob
 
 # ex: filetype=sh
diff --git a/completions/ssh b/completions/ssh
index 4cbe87d27f4..cd1b1366c24 100644
--- a/completions/ssh
+++ b/completions/ssh
@@ -217,9 +217,10 @@ _ssh_suboption()
 _comp_xfunc_ssh_suboption_check()
 {
     # Get prev and cur words without splitting on =
-    local cureq=$(_get_cword :=) preveq=$(_get_pword :=)
-    if [[ $cureq == *=* && $preveq == -*o ]]; then
-        _ssh_suboption "$cureq" "${1-}"
+    local cur prev
+    _comp_get_words -n := cur prev
+    if [[ $cur == *=* && $prev == -*o ]]; then
+        _ssh_suboption "$cur" "${1-}"
         return $?
     fi
     return 1
diff --git a/completions/xsltproc b/completions/xsltproc
index d77f86f6a88..5d81272a5cb 100644
--- a/completions/xsltproc
+++ b/completions/xsltproc
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ _xsltproc()
             ;;
     esac
 
-    [[ $cword -gt 2 && $(_get_cword '' 2) == --?(string)param ]] && return
+    [[ $cword -gt 2 && ${words[cword - 2]} == --?(string)param ]] && return
 
     if [[ $cur == -* ]]; then
         COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W '$(_parse_help "$1")' -- "$cur"))
diff --git a/test/t/test_umount.py b/test/t/test_umount.py
index c77e613da2a..de188358f0b 100644
--- a/test/t/test_umount.py
+++ b/test/t/test_umount.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ def dummy_mnt(self, request, bash):
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
             "_mnt_completion() { "
-            "local cur=$(_get_cword); "
-            "_comp_cmd_umount__linux_fstab $(_get_pword) < mount/test-fstab; "
+            "local cur prev;_comp_get_words cur prev; "
+            '_comp_cmd_umount__linux_fstab "$prev" < mount/test-fstab; '
             "} && complete -F _mnt_completion _mnt",
         )
         request.addfinalizer(
diff --git a/test/t/unit/Makefile.am b/test/t/unit/Makefile.am
index 7530a0ed6ea..6de2308ed7e 100644
--- a/test/t/unit/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/t/unit/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	test_unit_expand_tilde_by_ref.py \
 	test_unit_filedir.py \
 	test_unit_find_unique_completion_pair.py \
-	test_unit_get_comp_words_by_ref.py \
+	test_unit_get_words.py \
 	test_unit_get_cword.py \
 	test_unit_initialize.py \
 	test_unit_ip_addresses.py \
diff --git a/test/t/unit/test_unit_filedir.py b/test/t/unit/test_unit_filedir.py
index e0371b8dc62..eeb64f844a5 100644
--- a/test/t/unit/test_unit_filedir.py
+++ b/test/t/unit/test_unit_filedir.py
@@ -15,18 +15,18 @@ class TestUnitFiledir:
     def functions(self, request, bash):
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
-            "_f() { local cur=$(_get_cword); unset -v COMPREPLY; _filedir; }; "
+            "_f() { local cur;_comp_get_words cur; unset -v COMPREPLY; _filedir; }; "
             "complete -F _f f; "
             "complete -F _f -o filenames f2",
         )
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
-            "_g() { local cur=$(_get_cword); unset -v COMPREPLY; _filedir e1; }; "
+            "_g() { local cur;_comp_get_words cur; unset -v COMPREPLY; _filedir e1; }; "
             "complete -F _g g",
         )
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
-            "_fd() { local cur=$(_get_cword); unset -v COMPREPLY; _filedir -d; };"
+            "_fd() { local cur;_comp_get_words cur; unset -v COMPREPLY; _filedir -d; };"
             "complete -F _fd fd",
         )
 
diff --git a/test/t/unit/test_unit_get_comp_words_by_ref.py b/test/t/unit/test_unit_get_words.py
similarity index 90%
rename from test/t/unit/test_unit_get_comp_words_by_ref.py
rename to test/t/unit/test_unit_get_words.py
index 90c931cbe96..63c40344f9b 100644
--- a/test/t/unit/test_unit_get_comp_words_by_ref.py
+++ b/test/t/unit/test_unit_get_words.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class TestUnitGetCompWordsByRef(TestUnitBase):
     def _test(self, bash, *args, **kwargs):
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset cur prev")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            "_get_comp_words_by_ref %s cur prev; echo $cur,${prev-}",
+            "_comp_get_words %s cur prev; echo $cur,${prev-}",
             bash,
             *args,
             **kwargs,
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def test_1(self, bash):
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
             "COMP_WORDS=() COMP_CWORD= COMP_POINT= COMP_LINE= "
-            "_get_comp_words_by_ref cur >/dev/null",
+            "_comp_get_words cur >/dev/null",
         )
 
     def test_2(self, bash):
@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ def test_22(self, bash):
     def test_23(self, bash):
         """a -n|
 
-        This test makes sure `_get_cword' doesn't use `echo' to return its
-        value, because -n might be interpreted by `echo' and thus would not
-        be returned.
+        This test makes sure `_comp_get_words' doesn't use `echo' to
+        return its value, because -n might be interpreted by `echo'
+        and thus would not be returned.
         """
         output = self._test(bash, "(a -n)", 1, "a -n", 4)
         assert output == "-n,a"
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ def test_30(self, bash):
         """a b| to all vars"""
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset words cword cur prev")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            "_get_comp_words_by_ref words cword cur prev%s; "
+            "_comp_get_words words cword cur prev%s; "
             'echo "${words[@]}",$cword,$cur,$prev',
             bash,
             "(a b)",
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ def test_31(self, bash):
         """a b| to alternate vars"""
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset words2 cword2 cur2 prev2")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            "_get_comp_words_by_ref -w words2 -i cword2 -c cur2 -p prev2%s; "
+            "_comp_get_words -w words2 -i cword2 -c cur2 -p prev2%s; "
             'echo $cur2,$prev2,"${words2[@]}",$cword2',
             bash,
             "(a b)",
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def test_32(self, bash):
         """a b : c| with wordbreaks -= :"""
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset words")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            '_get_comp_words_by_ref -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
+            '_comp_get_words -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
             bash,
             "(a b : c)",
             3,
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ def test_33(self, bash):
         """a b: c| with wordbreaks -= :"""
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset words")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            '_get_comp_words_by_ref -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
+            '_comp_get_words -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
             bash,
             "(a b : c)",
             3,
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ def test_34(self, bash):
         """a b :c| with wordbreaks -= :"""
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset words")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            '_get_comp_words_by_ref -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
+            '_comp_get_words -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
             bash,
             "(a b : c)",
             3,
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ def test_35(self, bash):
         r"""a b\ :c| with wordbreaks -= :"""
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "unset words")
         output = self._test_unit(
-            '_get_comp_words_by_ref -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
+            '_comp_get_words -n : words%s; echo "${words[@]}"',
             bash,
             "(a 'b ' : c)",
             3,
@@ -255,6 +255,6 @@ def test_35(self, bash):
     def test_unknown_arg_error(self, bash):
         with pytest.raises(AssertionError) as ex:
             _ = assert_bash_exec(
-                bash, "_get_comp_words_by_ref dummy", want_output=True
+                bash, "_comp_get_words dummy", want_output=True
             )
         ex.match("dummy.* unknown argument")
diff --git a/test/t/unit/test_unit_ip_addresses.py b/test/t/unit/test_unit_ip_addresses.py
index 9d5bd8ce7b8..fc54acb3176 100644
--- a/test/t/unit/test_unit_ip_addresses.py
+++ b/test/t/unit/test_unit_ip_addresses.py
@@ -9,20 +9,20 @@ class TestUnitIpAddresses:
     def functions(self, request, bash):
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
-            "_ia() { local cur=$(_get_cword);unset -v COMPREPLY;"
-            "_ip_addresses; }",
+            "_ia() { local cur;_comp_get_words cur;"
+            "unset -v COMPREPLY;_ip_addresses; }",
         )
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "complete -F _ia ia")
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
-            "_iaa() { local cur=$(_get_cword);unset -v COMPREPLY;"
-            "_ip_addresses -a; }",
+            "_iaa() { local cur;_comp_get_words cur;"
+            "unset -v COMPREPLY;_ip_addresses -a; }",
         )
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "complete -F _iaa iaa")
         assert_bash_exec(
             bash,
-            " _ia6() { local cur=$(_get_cword);unset -v COMPREPLY;"
-            "_ip_addresses -6; }",
+            " _ia6() { local cur;_comp_get_words cur;"
+            "unset -v COMPREPLY;_ip_addresses -6; }",
         )
         assert_bash_exec(bash, "complete -F _ia6 ia6")