Meaning & use
supplementary
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableformal
Added to something that already exists, in order to add to it or make it fuller.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: supplementary material, or after be: the fee is supplementary.
Patterns
- supplementary to something
- a supplementary + noun
The textbook comes with supplementary exercises online.
Students were given supplementary reading for the course.
A supplementary budget was approved to cover the extra costs.
adjectivebefore a nounmathematicstechnical
In mathematics, describing two angles that add up to 180 degrees.
Grammar: Used about angles: supplementary angles.
Patterns
- supplementary angles
Angles of 110 and 70 degrees are supplementary.
The two supplementary angles lie on a straight line.
Find the angle that is supplementary to 35 degrees.
Common combinations
- supplementary material
- The supplementary material is available on the website.
- supplementary question
- The minister answered a supplementary question.
- supplementary income
- She earns supplementary income from tutoring.
- supplementary benefit
- The scheme offers a supplementary benefit for families.
- supplementary information
- See the supplementary information at the end of the report.
Synonyms and how they differ
- additional
- Additional is the everyday word for extra, while supplementary suggests something that adds to a main item.
- extra
- Extra is informal and general, whereas supplementary sounds more official.
- auxiliary
- Auxiliary means giving support, often a backup, while supplementary just adds to something.
- complementary
- Complementary means two things fit together to make a whole, while supplementary just adds more.
Opposites
Word family
- supplement noun
- something added to complete or improve
- supplement verb
- to add to something
- supplemental adjective
- a variant of supplementary, common in American English
- supplementation noun
- the act of adding something extra
Commonly confused: supplementary or complementary?
supplementary vs complementary
Complementary means two things go well together to complete each other, as in complementary colors, while supplementary means added on as extra.
Practice
Besides the main textbook, the teacher handed out ____ notes with extra examples.
Choose one answer.
Supplementary means added on as extra. Complimentary means free, complementary means completing each other, and essential contradicts 'extra'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “supplementary”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.