Complement means complete or go well with: the video complements the instructions. Compliment means praise, or a piece of praise: she complimented me on my work. They sound the same. A trick: complement with e, like complete, makes something whole. And complimentary also means free: complimentary tea.
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A complements B; compliment someone on something; pay someone a compliment
- The short video complements the written instructions.
- A colleague complimented Rina on her clear explanation.
- The hotel offers complimentary tea in the lounge.
What changed
First versionThe diagrams compliment the explanation by showing each stage visually.
RevisionThe diagrams complement the explanation by showing each stage visually.
Compliment is the more familiar word, so it gets written everywhere. But diagrams don't praise anything: they complete the explanation, and that's complement with an e.
Compliment someone on something means praise them for it: complimented Rina on her explanation. Pay someone a compliment means say something nice to them. Complementary colours go well together; complimentary tea is free.
Your turn
The interviewer ___ me on my portfolio.
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complimented — The interviewer praised the portfolio: complimented me on my portfolio. Complemented would mean completed it.
Write what you were recently praised for at work or in your studies. Use compliment someone on.
My manager complimented me on the clear slides I made for the meeting.
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