compliment
noun and verba polite expression of praise; to praise someone or something
Compliment: I like your shirt.
Compliment vs complement
They sound the same, but compliment means praise, while complement means complete or go well with something.
2 wordsaudio · quiz
Quick answer
A compliment is a kind thing you say. To complement is to go well with something and make it complete.
complement
noun and verbsomething that completes or goes well with another thing
Complement: complete. Two pieces make a whole.
The difference at a glance
| Word | Type | Means | Example | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| compliment | noun and verb | a polite expression of praise; to praise someone or something | She gave me a lovely compliment about my talk. | |
| complement | noun and verb | something that completes or goes well with another thing | The wine complements the cheese perfectly. |
See each one in a sentence
noun and verb
compliment
Examples
She gave me a lovely compliment about my talk.
She complimented me on my English.
Common mistake
Not: He always complemented me on my cooking.
Say: He always complimented me on my cooking.
To praise someone is to compliment them.
noun and verb
complement
Examples
The wine complements the cheese perfectly.
Their skills complement each other.
Common mistake
Not: A red scarf will compliment that coat nicely.
Say: A red scarf will complement that coat nicely.
Things that go well together complement each other.
Pick the right word
Fill the gap
Read the sentence, then choose the word that fits.
Now use them yourself
Write or say two sentences, one with each word, in a real conversation.