complement 1 of 2

noun

ˈkäm-plə-mənt How to pronounce complement (audio)
Definition of complementnext
1
as in supplement
something that serves to complete or make up for a deficiency in something else with his practicality and her refreshing enthusiasm, they are perfect complements to each other

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in capacity
the largest number or amount that something can hold a full complement of sailors on the ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

complement

2 of 2

verb

ˈkäm-plə-ˌment How to pronounce complement (audio)
as in to adorn
to serve as a completing element to this silk handkerchief will complement your suit very nicely and give it a bit of dash

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of complement
Noun
Many health systems have started to adopt social prescribing not only as a complement to medical treatment, but as a preventative approach to reduce the need for more intensive care. — Grant Oliphant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 If even one child walks into a school this year without their full complement of teachers, that’s one child too many. — Andrew Spar, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
As friends and family gathered in black-tie attire, Billie Eilish had the honor of officiating her brother’s wedding ceremony while rocking a plunging corset dress that beautifully complemented the storybook landscape. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026 In Your Home That mismatched dresser that didn’t complement the rest of your bedroom set may be just the thing your entryway needs. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complement
  1. supplement
  2. capacity
  3. adorn
  4. volume
  5. enhance
  6. real estate
  7. complete
  8. decorate
Noun
  • Key Takeaways Calcium supplements can help maintain bone health, especially for people who don’t get enough calcium from food or are at higher risk of fractures, like those with osteoporosis.
    — Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The kosher-, gluten-, dairy-, and sugar-free supplement has a 20-ounce volume (that’s about 28 servings) and promises to support skin, bones, hair, nails, and joints alike with its 20 grams of collagen peptides per serving.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of supplement
Noun
  • Goldman’s model assumes SMIC will add between 30,000 and 50,000 advanced-node wafers in monthly capacity each year from 2026 through 2031.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Furthermore, relationships themselves teach basic psychological capacities such as regulating emotions, tolerating disappointment, and negotiating differences—skills which therapy is supposed to cultivate.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of capacity
Verb
  • But the very act of putting on a wearable—of willingly adorning oneself with a tiny computerized narc—is an act of surrender.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The politician proposed with a glamorous three-stone engagement ring adorned with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of adorn
Noun
  • China’s chip self-sufficiency rate reached roughly 70% by production volume in June, compared with 38% in January 2010, according to Goldman.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Tubes drawn from a patient's arm travel a track that centrifuges them, checks the sample volume and quality and then routes them to whichever analyzer needs them and archives what's left, without the need for a technician.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of volume
Verb
  • Meta agreed to impose changes including a default two-hour daily time limit for teens across Facebook and Instagram, muted notifications during school hours, and enhanced parental controls, with more updates potentially on the horizon.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders must prioritize building cognitive and identity infrastructure, focusing on *how* people think and their self-authorship, ensuring AI enhances human judgment rather than standardizing it.
    — Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of enhance
Noun
  • Growth in the world's second-largest economy slowed to multi-year lows in the second quarter, weighed down by tepid domestic demand and a prolonged real estate slump.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • All that hoopla results in a heavy lift for news networks and involves haggling over the real estate for anchor booths and transmission facilities.
    — Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of real estate
Verb
  • Gordon was completed swiftly, earning Newcastle more money than anticipated (with €70m benchmarked).
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Five to six years ago, certainly, people were not thinking about agentic AI systems that can plan and complete multi-step tasks with little to no human intervention.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of complete
Verb
  • At the heart of the dining room stands La Venatoria, a rare Richard Ginori vase from the late 1920s, produced during Gio Ponti’s artistic direction and decorated with the Triumph of the Amazons motif.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • One of two primary bedrooms is decorated with a vibrant abstract painting.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of decorate

Browse Nearby Words

compleat
complement
complementary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Complement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complement. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on complement

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about complement

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