Complement and compliment differ by one letter, and the letter matches a partner word. Complement with an e partners with complete: two things complement each other when together they form a whole. Compliment with an i partners with praise: "I like it" starts with i.
Both words are nouns and verbs. You can complement a meal with wine, and you can compliment a friend on their cooking. The first is about fit, and the second is about praise.
This page gives both meanings, the partner-word test, eight examples and 15 questions. Every answer says whether the sentence is about completeness or praise.
What each word means
complement
complement (noun and verb): something that completes or goes well with something else. "The wine complements the meal."
compliment
compliment (noun and verb): an expression of praise. "She paid me a compliment." "He complimented her work."
The rule
Complement completes
- As a verb: to go well with something, or to make it better as a pair. "The shoes complement the dress."
- As a noun: the thing that completes a pair or a set. "The wine is a perfect complement to the fish."
- In grammar, a complement is the word that completes the meaning of a verb: "She became a doctor."
- In maths, the complement of a set is what completes the whole.
Compliment is praise
- As a noun: a kind remark. "Thank you for the compliment."
- As a verb: to praise someone. "The teacher complimented my writing."
- The pattern is compliment someone on something: "He complimented her on her presentation."
- Complimentary has two meanings: expressing praise, or given free of charge. "Complimentary breakfast."
The partner-word test
- Complement pairs with complete. If the sentence is about two things fitting together, use the e spelling.
- Compliment pairs with praise. If the sentence is about kind words, use the i spelling.
- Spell the partner word in your head: compl-ete has e, and I praise has i.
- Complimentary with an i is the adjective. Complementary with an e means completing: "complementary colours".
Traps to watch
- The colours blue and orange are complementary, not complimentary, because they complete each other.
- A hotel with a complimentary breakfast gives it free; the spelling keeps the i.
- Do not write "the sauce compliments the fish" when you mean it fits well. Use complement.
- In "she complimented me on my English", the praise goes to a person, so the i spelling is correct.
How to remember
The trick: Complement has e and pairs with complete. Compliment has i, and I give praise with an i.
Examples
- The wine complements the meal.The wine goes well with the food, so the e spelling is correct.
- Those shoes complement your dress.The shoes and the dress form a good pair.
- She paid me a nice compliment.The remark is praise, so the i spelling is correct.
- He complimented her on her presentation.The verb means praised, followed by on.
- The two skills complement each other.Each skill completes the other, so complement fits.
- Thank you for the compliment.The kind words are a compliment.
- The hotel serves a complimentary breakfast.Complimentary here means free of charge.
- The blue curtains complement the grey walls.The colours go well together, so the e spelling is correct.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Those shoes compliment your dress. Right: Those shoes complement your dress.
- The shoes go well with the dress, so the e spelling that pairs with complete is correct.
- Wrong: Thank you for the complement. Right: Thank you for the compliment.
- The thanks are for praise, so the i spelling is needed.
- Wrong: The new software compliments the system. Right: The new software complements the system.
- The software completes the system, so complement with e is correct.
- Wrong: She complemented me on my English. Right: She complimented me on my English.
- Giving praise is complimenting, with the i spelling.
- Wrong: The dessert was a perfect compliment to the meal. Right: The dessert was a perfect complement to the meal.
- The dessert completes the meal, so the e spelling is correct.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
The wine ___ the meal.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. complements The wine goes well with the food, so complement with e is correct.
Those shoes ___ your dress.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. complement The shoes complete the look, so the e spelling is needed.
She paid me a nice ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. compliment A kind remark is a compliment with the i spelling.
He ___ her on her presentation.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. complimented The verb meaning praised is complimented with an i.
The two skills ___ each other.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. complement Each skill completes the other, so complement with e fits.
Thank you for the ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. compliment The thanks are for praise, so compliment with i is correct.
The hotel serves a ___ breakfast.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. complimentary Here complimentary means free of charge, with the i spelling.
The blue curtains ___ the grey walls.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. complement The colours go well together, so complement with e is correct.
Blue and orange are ___ colours.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. complementary The colours complete each other, so complementary with e is correct.
The teacher ___ my writing.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. complimented The teacher gave praise, so complimented with i is needed.
The sauce is a perfect ___ to the fish.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. complement The sauce completes the dish, so complement with e is correct.
He is always quick with a ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. compliment A quick kind remark is a compliment with i.
The two teams ___ each other well.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. complement Each team brings what the other lacks, so complement with e is correct.
The guests received ___ tickets.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. complimentary Free tickets are complimentary with the i spelling.
Her remark was a lovely ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. compliment A lovely remark is praise, so compliment with i is correct.
Questions learners ask
What does complimentary mean?
It has two meanings. It can mean expressing praise: "complimentary remarks". It can also mean free: "a complimentary drink". Both meanings use the i spelling.
Is a compliment always about appearance?
No. A compliment can praise work, cooking, a skill or a character trait. "You handled that difficult call very well" is a compliment about skill.
What is a complement in grammar?
A complement is the word or phrase that completes the meaning of a verb or a noun. In "she became a doctor", a doctor is the subject complement. It completes the idea that became introduces.
Related grammar and idioms
Go the extra mile
To go the extra mile is to make more effort than expected, so that someone is helped or a job is done especially well.
When pigs fly
If you say something will happen when pigs fly, you mean it will never happen.
Up in the air
If something is up in the air, it is not decided yet and the final answer is uncertain.
More confusing words
Sight, site or cite
Sight is about seeing, site is a place or a website, and cite means to quote a source.
Remember vs remind
Remember is memory that stays in your own head. Remind means to make someone else remember, so it needs a person after the verb.
Who vs whom
Who does the action, like he. Whom receives the action, like him, and often follows a preposition.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.