When to Use Complement vs Compliment: Understanding the Difference

Compliment and Complement — See the Difference

These two words sound almost the same. But they mean very different things. Look at these examples:

She complimented him on his cooking. (She said something nice.)

The red wine complements the steak perfectly. (They go well together.)

He gave her a kind compliment. (He said something nice.)

The scarf is a great complement to the dress. (It makes the dress look better.)

Did you see the difference? One is about praise. The other is about things that go well together.

When to Use Compliment and When to Use Complement

Use compliment when someone says something nice about another person. It is about praise.

• “That is a lovely dress!” — This is a compliment.
• She complimented him on his work. (She praised him.)
• He always gives kind compliments. (He says nice things.)

Use complement when two things go well together, or when something makes another thing better or more complete.

• The music complements the film. (It makes the film better.)
• Cheese is the perfect complement to wine. (They go well together.)
• Her skills complement his. (Together they are stronger.)

Easy way to remember: Look at the middle of each word. CompliIment has an I — think “I say something nice.” CompleEment has an E — think “it makes something complEte.”

How to Use Compliment and Complement in Everyday English

Here are sentences you might hear or say in daily life:

“Thank you for the compliment!” (Someone said something nice to you.)

“I want to compliment the chef — the food was amazing.” (You want to praise the chef.)

“This tie really complements your shirt.” (The tie and shirt look great together.)

“The two players complement each other on the team.” (Together they are stronger.)

“She complimented my English — that made my day!” (She praised your English.)

You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistakes many learners make.

Common Mistakes With Compliment and Complement

Even native speakers mix up these two words sometimes — so if you get confused, you are not alone. They sound almost the same, and that is why so many people use the wrong one.

How to remember: Look at the vowel in the middle. CompliIment = I say something nice (praise). CompleEment = complEte (goes well together).

Bonus tip — complimentary vs complementary:

• Complimentary (with an I) means “free” or “full of praise.” Example: “The hotel gives complimentary breakfast.” (free breakfast)
• Complementary (with an E) means “goes well together.” Example: “The two colours are complementary.” (they look good together)

Other word pairs that learners often confuse: affect vs effect, weather vs whether, advice vs advise.

Test Yourself: Compliment or Complement?

Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.

Keep Going — You Are Building Something

You just learned the difference between compliment and complement. That is one more confusing word pair you will never get wrong again.

Here is something interesting: there is a very common English phrase that most people write as one word — but it is actually two words. Even many native speakers get this wrong. Do you know which phrase it is?

Next lesson: Every Time vs Everytime — Which Is Correct?

Sources

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of compliment.” Online Etymology Dictionary.

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of complement.” Online Etymology Dictionary.

“Compliment.” Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.