“Compliment” and “complement” sound identical, but they mean different things. “Compliment” (with an “i”) is a polite expression of praise or admiration, while “complement” (with an “e”) is something that completes, improves, or goes well with something else. A quick trick: “I” give compliments, and “complement” and “complete” both have two e’s. Because both words are real and correctly spelled, a basic spellchecker will never flag the wrong one, which is exactly where TypoGuard helps by checking the word in context.
What “Compliment” Means
As a noun, a compliment is a kind remark that shows praise, admiration, or approval. As a verb, to compliment someone means to say something nice about them.
“She gave me a lovely compliment on my presentation.”
“He complimented the chef on the soup.”
“That was a backhanded compliment.”
What “Complement” Means
As a noun, a complement is something that completes or enhances something else. As a verb, to complement means to add to something in a way that improves it.
“The wine is a perfect complement to the cheese.”
“Your skills complement the team’s strengths.”
“The company has a full complement of staff.” (the complete number needed)
The word also appears in technical settings, such as complementary angles in math and subject complements in grammar.
Easy Tricks to Remember the Difference
There are three simple ways to keep them straight:
1. “I” give compliments. Compliment has an “i,” just like the word “I.”
2. Complement and complete both have two e’s, and a complement is something that completes.
3. Think “enhance” for complement: a complement makes something better.
Complimentary vs. Complementary
The same one-letter split applies to the adjectives:
“Complimentary” means expressing praise, or free of charge: “a complimentary breakfast.”
“Complementary” means completing or going well together: “complementary colors.”
What Does “Compliments of” Mean?
When you see “compliments of the house” or “compliments of the chef,” it means the item is a free courtesy from that person or business. The word is spelled with an “i,” because it is a polite gesture, not something that completes a meal.
Why These Two Words Get Mixed Up
Beyond sounding the same, both words trace back to a Latin root meaning “to complete,” which is why they look so alike. Mental Floss has a handy explainer on compliment vs. complement that includes the “two e’s” trick for remembering the word that means “to complete.”
Examples in Context
Correct: “She gave me a nice compliment on my presentation.”
Incorrect: “She gave me a nice complement on my presentation.”
Correct: “The sauce is a perfect complement to the pasta.”
Incorrect: “The sauce is a perfect compliment to the pasta.”
Correct: “My skills complement the team’s needs.”
Awkward: “My skills compliment the team’s needs.” (this reads as flattery, not as a strength)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which word means praise? “Compliment,” with an “i.”
Is it “complementary colors” or “complimentary colors”? It is “complementary colors,” because the colors complete or balance each other.
Which spelling means free? “Complimentary,” as in a complimentary drink or a complimentary upgrade.
Is “complement” ever a verb? Yes. It means to complete or enhance, as in “the scarf complements her coat.”
A Mix-Up Spellcheck Cannot Catch
Because “compliment” and “complement” are both correctly spelled, this is one of the homophone mistakes that most often slips into emails, cover letters, and reviews. A grammar checker Chrome extension like TypoGuard’s free grammar checker reads each sentence in context and catches errors like this in real time, so you never send “my skills compliment the team” by accident.
Want to stop second-guessing tricky word pairs? Install TypoGuard for free and let it catch the small mistakes for you.
Konstantinos Kreouzis(https://typoguard.vip/the-story-behind-the-creation-of-the-typoguard-chrome-extension/)