Compliment vs Complement: Praise or Complete?

A compliment is praise; a complement is something that completes, balances or goes well with something else. Both can be nouns or verbs.

Compliment

Noun: She gave me a compliment on the presentation. Verb: He complimented the team on their work.

Complement

Noun: The practical exercises are a useful complement to the theory. Verb: The warm lighting complements the green design.

Grammar meaning of complement

In grammar, a complement is an element that completes the meaning of another expression, such as the subject complement in She is a teacher.

Spelling memory

Compliment contains i as in “I like it.” Complement contains e as in “complete.” Memory tricks are helpful, but meaning should remain your main guide.

Professional collocations

pay/give a compliment; compliment someone on something; a perfect complement to; complementary skills/services.

Quick practice

Choose: The client paid the team a ___. / The exercises ___ the video lesson well. / Her design skills are a strong ___ to his technical experience.

Answers: compliment; complement; complement.

Takeaway

Praise is a compliment. Something that completes, balances or enhances another thing is a complement.