Illustration of complement
- ACB right angle
- ACD complement of DCB (and vice versa)
- AD complement of DB (and vice versa)
com·ple·ment
ˈkäm-plə-mənt 
1
a
: something that fills up, completes, or makes better or perfect
The scarf is a perfect complement to her outfit.
b(1)
: the full quantity, number, or assortment needed or included
… the usual complement of eyes and ears …—
Francis Parkman
Francis Parkman… after several more minutes of waiting, the full complement of runners was sent off by the starter's pistol.—Craig Neff
Craig Neff
(2)
: the whole force or personnel of a ship
c
: one of two mutually completing parts : counterpart
She is a kind of complement to me, and we get on famously.—Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor2
: an added word or expression by which a predication is made complete (such as president in "they elected him president" and beautiful in "he thought her beautiful")
3
a
: the angle or arc that when added to a given angle or arc equals a right angle in measure
b
: the set of all elements that do not belong to a given set and are contained in a particular mathematical set containing the given set
c
: a number that when added to a certain number of the same sign yields a number with the digit 1 as the significant digit farthest to the left and the digit 0 in every other digit place
—used especially in assembly language programming
5
: the thermolabile group of proteins in normal blood serum and plasma that in combination with antibodies causes the destruction especially of particulate antigens (such as bacteria and foreign blood corpuscles)
com·ple·ment
ˈkäm-plə-ˌment
complemented; complementing; complements
1
: to complete or enhance by providing something additional : to be complementary to
The illustrations complement the text.
2
obsolete
: compliment
obsolete
: to exchange formal courtesies
Did you know?
Is it complement or compliment?
Today there is no overlap between the meanings of complement and compliment, as either nouns or verbs, but their similar spellings and pronunciations make them prime candidates for confusion. Despite the difference in their meanings, both complement and compliment have roots in the Latin word complēre which means “to complete.” Complement remains true to that origin in its spelling and in its meanings that have to do with completing or completion. Keep that connection in mind and there should be no question as to whether complement or compliment is the correct word to use in a given context.
Synonyms
Examples of complement in a Sentence
Noun
With the loss of just one American and four Japanese carriers, including their complements of aircraft and many of their superbly trained fliers … , Midway … put the Japanese navy at a disadvantage from which it never recovered.
—David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999
Exact observation of the outer world was the complement to a literal reading of Scripture.
—Garry Wills, Under God, 1990
The usual complement of Kremlin guards was about, one company of infantry with light arms.
—Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising, 1986
His faults are accepted as the necessary complement to his merits.
—W. Somerset Maugham, Moon and Sixpence, 1919
The scarf is a perfect complement to her outfit.
a full complement of farm animals
her usual complement of attendants
a ship's complement of officers
“President” in “they elected her president” and “to work” in “he wants to work” are different kinds of complements.
Verb
Carrots often work even better than sticks, so I propose a skinny subsidy to complement the fat tax.
—Jonathan Rauch, Atlantic, December 2002
The love of Bottom's bottomless vision at least complements, if it does not transcend, the rational love of Theseus.
—Frank Kermode, Shakespeare's Language, 2000
… his ice-blue Appalachian eyes glint through horn-rimmed glasses, which complement his salt-and-pepper beard.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New Yorker, 19 June 1995
… lively photographs, illustrations and cartoons designed to complement the meanings of the poems and give a leg-up to the imagination.
—Carol Ann Duffy, Times Literary Supplement, 4-10 Dec. 1987
The shirt complements the suit nicely.
a delicious dinner complemented by a splendid dessert
The soup and salad complement each other well.
David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999
Exact observation of the outer world was the complement to a literal reading of Scripture.
—Garry Wills, Under God, 1990
The usual complement of Kremlin guards was about, one company of infantry with light arms.
—Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising, 1986
His faults are accepted as the necessary complement to his merits.
—W. Somerset Maugham, Moon and Sixpence, 1919
The scarf is a perfect complement to her outfit.
a full complement of farm animals
her usual complement of attendants
a ship's complement of officers
“President” in “they elected her president” and “to work” in “he wants to work” are different kinds of complements.
Verb
Carrots often work even better than sticks, so I propose a skinny subsidy to complement the fat tax.
—Jonathan Rauch, Atlantic, December 2002
The love of Bottom's bottomless vision at least complements, if it does not transcend, the rational love of Theseus.
—Frank Kermode, Shakespeare's Language, 2000
… his ice-blue Appalachian eyes glint through horn-rimmed glasses, which complement his salt-and-pepper beard.
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New Yorker, 19 June 1995
… lively photographs, illustrations and cartoons designed to complement the meanings of the poems and give a leg-up to the imagination.
—Carol Ann Duffy, Times Literary Supplement, 4-10 Dec. 1987
The shirt complements the suit nicely.
a delicious dinner complemented by a splendid dessert
The soup and salad complement each other well.
Recent Examples on the WebAndrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
The warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg were prominent and much appreciated, providing the perfect slightly-sweet complement to my hot cup of tea.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2024
Rhonda Richford, WWD, 2 Oct. 2024
These additions complement such unscripted fare as Fight to Survive, Celebrity Family Food Battle, executive produced by Sofia Vergara, and The Cupcake Guys featuring former NFL stars Brian Orakpo and Michael Griffin.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for complement 
Noun
While the beef is what drives people to Torino, the complements — raw jalapeño slivers, tomato and garlic sauce — help deliver the contrasting textures and flavors.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
The warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg were prominent and much appreciated, providing the perfect slightly-sweet complement to my hot cup of tea.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2024
Verb
The location perfectly complemented the collection, which was rich in intricate details, sumptuous textures, layered fabrics and vibrant colors.
—Rhonda Richford, WWD, 2 Oct. 2024
These additions complement such unscripted fare as Fight to Survive, Celebrity Family Food Battle, executive produced by Sofia Vergara, and The Cupcake Guys featuring former NFL stars Brian Orakpo and Michael Griffin.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for complement
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'complement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near complement
Cite this Entry
“Complement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complement. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
complement
1 of 2 noun
com·ple·ment
ˈkäm-plə-mənt
1
: something that fills up, completes, or makes perfect
2
: full quantity, number, or amount
a ship's complement of officers and crew
3
a
: the angle that when added to a given angle equals 90 degrees
b
: the set of all elements not included in a given mathematical set
4
: an added word or group of words by which the predicate of a sentence is made complete
"president" in "they elected her president" and "to work" in "he wants to work" are different kinds of complements
5
: a heat-sensitive substance in normal blood that in combination with antibodies destroys antigens (as bacteria and foreign blood corpuscles)
complement
2 of 2 verb
com·ple·ment
ˈkäm-plə-ˌment
: to form or serve as a complement to
a shirt that complements a suit
Medical Definition
complement
noun
com·ple·ment
ˈkäm-plə-mənt
1
: a group or set (as of chromosomes or DNA) that is typical of the complete organism or one of its parts see chromosome complement
2
: a complementary color
3
: the thermolabile group of proteins in normal blood serum and plasma that in combination with antibodies causes the destruction especially of particulate antigens (as bacteria and foreign blood corpuscles)
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