“The wine perfectly complimented the meal.”
Confusables Entry 115 / 1011 60-second read
Complement vs. Compliment
To complete or enhance something versus to say something nice.
The comparisoni
“The wine perfectly complemented the meal.”
More examplesii
01
The sauce really complimented the pasta dish.
The sauce really complemented the pasta dish.
02
Those shoes complement your dress beautifully.
Those shoes complement your dress beautifully.
03
She complemented him on his excellent work.
She complimented him on his excellent work.
04
The colors don't really compliment each other.
The colors don't really complement each other.
05
Your skills compliment the team's existing strengths.
Your skills complement the team's existing strengths.
06
I was surprised by the complement he gave me.
I was surprised by the compliment he gave me.
The ruleiii
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COMPLEMENT = to complete or go well with something.
Virtually identical pronunciation, one letter apart. Both carry a sense of 'something nice', which makes the brain blur the distinction.
Memory aidiv
Remember it like this
ComplementAry items COMPLETE each other (both have an E). A complIment Is a kind word (both have an I).