The short answer
Complement and compliment sound identical but mean very different things. A complement completes or enhances something, making it whole, as in the scarf complements the outfit. A compliment is a kind remark that praises someone, as in she gave him a compliment on his work. The spelling hinges on one letter: complement has an e, compliment has an i, matching complete.
- Complement, with an e, completes or enhances
- Compliment, with an i, is a praising remark
Using complement correctly
Complement, as both a noun and a verb, is about things fitting together or completing a set. Correct: The wine was chosen to complement the spicy dish. Correct: Her calm personality is a good complement to his energy. In grammar, a complement is also the word or phrase that completes a sentence's meaning, such as the object after a verb.
Complement also appears often in business and design writing, describing items, skills, or colors that work well as a pair. Correct: The new software complements the existing system rather than replacing it. Correct: Warm lighting complements the room's cool color palette.
Using compliment correctly
Compliment, also both a noun and a verb, is about expressing praise or admiration. Correct: He complimented her on the presentation. Correct: I took her comment as a compliment, not criticism. Incorrect: not: The chef used spices that complimented the dish, since flavors enhancing each other need the e spelling, not the i spelling used for praise.
Compliment can also describe a formal, polite gesture, as in the phrase with compliments, often used on cards accompanying a free gift or sample. Correct: The store included a small sample with its compliments. Correct: She thanked him for the generous compliment about her cooking.
A quick memory link
Both words trace back to the idea of completeness, but compliment shifted over time to focus on a specific way of pleasing someone: kind words. Complement kept the broader, literal sense of making something complete. Keeping that split in mind explains why a complementary color completes a color scheme, while a complimentary remark is one that flatters.
This history also explains related forms: complementary describes things that combine to form a whole, such as complementary skills on a team, while complimentary describes something given for free or meant as praise, such as a complimentary upgrade at a hotel.
Quick test before you write
Before finishing a sentence, try substituting the word complete for complement and the phrase say something nice for compliment. If the substituted sentence still makes sense, the original spelling was correct. Correct: The shoes complement the dress works because the shoes complete or round out the outfit. Correct: He complimented her speech works because he said something nice about it.
Remember it
Link the e in complement to the e in complete, since a complement completes something. Link the i in compliment to the i in nice, since a compliment is a nice thing to say. Testing a sentence by substituting complete or praise for the word in question will usually reveal which spelling is correct.
- Complement and complete both have an e
- Compliment and a nice remark both relate to praise
Frequently asked questions
Is 'complementary' the same as 'complimentary'?
No. Complementary describes things that go well together, like complementary colors, while complimentary means free or given as praise, like a complimentary drink.
Can a person be a complement to another person?
Yes. When someone's traits balance or enhance another person's, they can be described as a complement, as in the two coworkers complement each other's strengths.
Which word means 'to praise'?
Compliment, with an i, is the word that means to praise or express admiration.
Try it with a real collection
Explore academic vocabulary or print a Frayer model to put these ideas into practice.