verb/noun · neutral

complement

UK/ˈkɒmplɪˌment/US/ˈkɑːmplɪˌment/COM·ple·ment

Band 5-6task1task2speaking

(v) to add to something in a way that improves or completes it; (n) something that completes or goes well with something

Examples

A visual summary complements the written report.

The new software is a complement to existing systems.

In Task 1, a table can complement a short paragraph for clarity.

Band 8 sentence

The qualitative interviews complement the quantitative findings, offering deeper insight into participants' motivations.

Collocations

  • complement each other
  • complement the data/report/argument

Word family

complementary adjectivecomplementarily adverb

Common mistakes

confuse 'complement' with 'compliment'complement

Say it for a higher band

5add to6supplement7+complement

Synonyms

supplement

Easily confused

compliment

She received many compliments on her presentation.

Related words

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In Sublist 10

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