Compliment vs complement: what each word means, a one-letter trick, and examples
A compliment, with an i, is praise. A complement, with an e, completes something or goes well with it. They sound the same and come from the same Latin root, which is why spellcheck lets both through. Here are the meanings, the trick, examples and the book phrases that catch authors.
What each word means
- Compliment (noun): praise or admiration. "Her review was the best compliment the book got."
- Compliment (verb): to praise. "Readers complimented the clear chapter summaries."
- Complimentary: free, or full of praise. "Authors receive complimentary copies." "A complimentary blurb."
- Complement (noun or verb): something that completes, enhances or goes well with something else. "The workbook is a complement to the book." "The illustrations complement the text."
- Complementary: going well together, completing each other. "Co-authors with complementary skills."
According to Dictionary.com, complement is the older word, in English since the 1300s, from the Latin complēmentum, "something that completes." Compliment arrived in the mid-1600s through Spanish, but traces back to the same Latin root, which explains why the two were once used for some of the same meanings.
A one-letter trick
- Complement enhances and completes. Dictionary.com's version: if something complements something, it completes it.
- Compliment is what I like to hear.
Examples
| Sentence | Word | Why |
|---|---|---|
| My editor paid me a ___ on the opening chapter. | compliment | Praise |
| The case studies ___ the main argument. | complement | Go well with, complete |
| The publisher sent twenty ___ copies. | complimentary | Free |
| The two authors have ___ strengths. | complementary | Complete each other |
| The cover colors ___ each other. | complement | Go well together |
| Readers often ___ the short chapters. | compliment | Praise |
Examples written by Scribe Media.
Where authors slip
- Acknowledgments: thanking someone whose skills "complemented" yours is right; thanking someone who "complemented" your work, when you mean praised it, is not.
- Back matter and marketing copy: "complimentary" workbook means free; "complementary" workbook means it goes with the book. Both can be true, so pick the one you mean.
- Image captions and design notes: photos and design elements complement the text.
Search your file for "complim" and "complem" and check each one. A copy editor will catch the rest; see what a copy editor does. For more pairs spellcheck misses, see principal vs principle and lay vs lie.
Start here: search your manuscript for "complim" and "complem." For each hit, ask: is this praise or something free (i), or does it complete something (e)?
Common questions
What is the difference between compliment and complement?
A compliment (with an i) is praise: "She paid me a compliment." A complement (with an e) is something that completes or goes well with something else: "The photos complement the text."
Is it complimentary or complementary?
Complimentary means free or full of praise: complimentary copies, a complimentary review. Complementary means going well together or completing each other: complementary skills, complementary colors.
How do you remember compliment vs complement?
Complement with an e completes something; both words share the e. Compliment with an i is what I like to hear.
Do the photos compliment or complement the book?
Complement. The photos go well with the text and complete it. They would only compliment the book if they could praise it.
Sources: Dictionary.com, Compliment vs. Complement (meanings; complement in English since the 1300s from Latin complēmentum; compliment from the mid-1600s via Spanish, same Latin root; complimentary means free; "complements" means completes), read November 2, 2026. The "I like to hear" trick, examples and guidance were written by Scribe Media. Published by Scribe Media.