Meaning & use
complement
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Meanings
nouncountable
Something that goes well with another thing and makes the pair feel finished or better together.
Grammar: Usually followed by to: a complement to the main course.
Patterns
- a complement to something
- the perfect complement
A squeeze of lemon is the ideal complement to grilled fish.
The soft lighting was a pleasing complement to the wooden furniture.
Her quiet nature is a good complement to his loud one.
verbtransitive
To go well with something so that each improves or completes the other.
Grammar: Takes an object: the scarf complements the coat.
Patterns
- something complements something
- complement each other
The blue curtains complement the gray walls nicely.
Their skills complement each other, so they work well as a team.
A crisp white wine would complement the dish.
nounusually singularformal
The full number or amount needed to make up a group, especially a crew or staff.
Grammar: Often appears in the phrase full complement.
Patterns
- a full complement of something
The ship sailed with its full complement of two hundred sailors.
The clinic now has a full complement of doctors.
A complement of engineers joined the project in spring.
nouncountabletechnical
In grammar, a word or phrase that follows a verb such as be and completes the meaning of the predicate.
Grammar: Appears in grammar discussions: in She is happy, happy is the complement.
Patterns
- the complement of a verb
In He became a teacher, the phrase a teacher is the complement.
Linking verbs need a complement to finish the idea.
The grammar quiz asked us to underline each complement.
Word forms
| plural | complements |
|---|---|
| third person singular | complements |
| past tense | complemented |
| past participle | complemented |
| -ing form | complementing |
Common combinations
- perfect complement
- Fresh basil is the perfect complement to ripe tomatoes.
- complement each other
- The two designers complement each other well.
- full complement
- The team arrived with a full complement of players.
- complement a meal
- A light salad will complement the meal.
- nicely complement
- The rug nicely complements the sofa.
Synonyms and how they differ
- supplement
- A supplement adds something extra to what is already complete, while a complement supplies what makes it feel whole.
- match
- Match means similar or equal in style, whereas complement often means different but well suited.
- enhance
- Enhance only says something improves, with no suggestion that two things belong together.
- round out
- Round out is more informal and suggests filling a gap, rather than pairing two good things.
Opposites
Word family
- complementary adjective
- going well together or filling each other's gaps
- complementarity noun
- the state of completing each other
- complementary colors noun
- colors opposite each other on the color wheel
Commonly confused: complement or compliment?
complement vs compliment
Compliment, with an i, means praise or to praise someone; complement, with an e, means to complete or go well with.
Practice
The pale green walls ___ the dark wood floor beautifully.
Choose one answer.
Complement, spelled with an e, means to go well with. Compliment means to praise, which a wall cannot do, and is the common spelling trap.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “complement”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.