complement Definition
- 1a thing that completes or brings to perfection
- 2a number or quantity of something required to make a group complete
Using complement: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "complement" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The wine is a perfect complement to the meal.
Example
The new curtains are a great complement to the room's decor.
Example
The orchestra has a full complement of musicians.
Example
The two teams have complementary skills.
complement Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for complement
Antonyms for complement
Idioms Using complement
to say something nice or flattering to someone
Example
I paid her a compliment on her new haircut.
a remark that seems to be a compliment but could also be interpreted as an insult
Example
When he said I looked good for my age, I knew it was a backhanded compliment.
left-handed compliment
a compliment that is also a subtle insult
Example
When she said I was smarter than I looked, I knew it was a left-handed compliment.
Phrases with complement
the complete number or quantity of something required
Example
The hotel has a full complement of staff during peak season.
to combine well together and enhance each other's qualities
Example
Their personalities complement each other perfectly.
complement of an angle
the angle that, when added to the given angle, makes a right angle (90 degrees)
Example
The complement of a 30-degree angle is a 60-degree angle.
Origins of complement
from Latin 'complementum', meaning 'that which fills up or completes'
Summary: complement in Brief
The term 'complement' [ˈkɒmplɪmənt] refers to something that completes or enhances another thing, such as wine complementing a meal or new curtains complementing a room's decor. It can also refer to the complete number or quantity of something required, like a full complement of staff. The phrase 'complement each other' describes how two things combine well together and enhance each other's qualities.
