Meaning & use
compliant
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Acting in accordance with rules, standards, or requests; willing to obey or conform.
Grammar: Often used after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become': The system is compliant. Can be used before a noun: a compliant student.
Patterns
- compliant with something
- compliant to something
All new buildings must be compliant with safety regulations.
The company is compliant with environmental laws.
She is a compliant employee who always follows instructions.
Word forms
| comparative | more compliant |
|---|---|
| superlative | most compliant |
Common combinations
- compliant with
- The software is compliant with the latest security standards.
- fully compliant
- The factory is now fully compliant with health and safety rules.
- compliant behavior
- The teacher praised the student's compliant behavior.
Synonyms and how they differ
- obedient
- Obedient often refers to people or animals following orders, while compliant can also describe things meeting standards.
- submissive
- Submissive suggests yielding to power, often with a negative tone, whereas compliant is more neutral and about following rules.
- conforming
- Conforming emphasizes matching established norms, while compliant focuses on obeying rules or requests.
Opposites
Word family
- compliance noun
- The act of obeying rules or standards.
- comply verb
- To act in accordance with a rule or request.
Commonly confused: compliant or complient?
compliant vs complient
Complient is a common misspelling; the correct spelling is compliant, ending in -ant like reliant and defiant.
Practice
The new policy requires all employees to be _____ with the company's code of conduct.
Choose one answer.
The adjective 'compliant' correctly follows 'be' and is followed by 'with'. 'Complient' is a misspelling, 'compliance' is a noun, and 'comply' is a verb, none of which fit grammatically.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “compliant”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.