compliment

compliment — noun

1. a spoken or written statement telling someone that you like or admire something

1.nounB1
Definition

a spoken or written statement telling someone that you like or admire something about them, such as their appearance, skill, or achievement.

Example

Jude received a lovely compliment about his homemade pasta from the dinner guests.

receive a compliment — common collocation

Tariro smiled warmly and thanked her colleague for the kind compliment on her report.

Common collocations
  • pay someone a compliment
  • receive a compliment
  • take something as a compliment
  • genuine compliment
  • nice compliment
  • kind compliment
  • backhanded compliment
Synonyms
  • praise

    broader — can be uncountable and less specific than a single 'compliment'

  • flattery

    excessive or insincere praise, often with a motive; more negative than 'compliment'

  • accolade

    formal, often public recognition of achievement; more serious and less casual

Antonyms
  • insult

    a rude or offensive remark that wounds someone's pride

  • criticism

    an expression of disapproval based on perceived faults

Usage Note

A compliment is said or written; a similar action-based expression uses a different sense of the word (see noun sense 2).

Common Mistakes

She complemented me on my new haircut.
She complimented me on my new haircut.
'complement' means to complete or go well with something; 'compliment' means to praise.
I take that as a complement.
I take that as a compliment.
same confusion in the noun form.

2. an action or gesture that shows admiration or respect for someone, rather than e

2.nounB2
Definition

an action or gesture that shows admiration or respect for someone, rather than expressing it in words.

Example

Henrik asking for your advice is a real compliment — he trusts your judgment.

[action] is a real compliment — pattern for non-verbal admiration

The committee saw Gabriel's promotion as a compliment to his years of hard work.

Common collocations
  • a real compliment
  • a great compliment
  • a compliment to someone's dedication
Synonyms
  • tribute

    more formal and deliberate; often involves a ceremony or public gesture

  • honour

    stronger — implies great respect and privilege

Usage Note

This sense often follows the pattern 'noun phrase + be + a compliment (to someone/something)' where the noun phrase describes the action. Distinguish from noun sense 1, where the compliment is explicitly a remark.

3. polite words of praise or good wishes sent to someone in a formal or courteous w

3.nounB2
Definition

polite words of praise or good wishes sent to someone in a formal or courteous way, especially when praising a host, a chef, or when signing off a message.

Example

Please give my compliments to the chef — the grilled fish was cooked to perfection.

give my compliments to [someone] — fixed formal phrase

Sade sent her compliments along with a thank-you note to the event organisers.

Common collocations
  • give my compliments to
  • send my compliments to
  • with compliments
Synonyms
  • regards

    more general good wishes, not necessarily involving praise

  • greetings

    neutral — can be used in any correspondence; no element of praise

Grammar Patterns

give/send + one's compliments + to + someone

Usage Note

Almost always in the plural form 'compliments' and part of a fixed expression ('give/send my compliments'). Less common in everyday conversation; more typical in restaurants, formal correspondence, or when speaking through a third party.

4. used when a business or organisation gives something to a customer free of charg

4.nounB2
Definition

used when a business or organisation gives something to a customer free of charge as a polite, welcoming gesture.

Example

The hotel left fresh fruit and a bottle of wine in the room with their compliments.

with one's compliments — set phrase for free gifts

A complimentary ticket for the show arrived with the theatre company's compliments.

Common collocations
  • with compliments
  • with the compliments of
  • with our compliments

Grammar Patterns

with + one's + compliments

Usage Note

Only used in the fixed phrase 'with compliments' or 'with the compliments of [business]'. Unlike sense 3 ('give my compliments to the chef'), this sense signals that no payment is expected. Commonly seen on hotel welcome notes, promotional samples, or complimentary tickets.

Idioms

backhanded compliment

idiom

a remark that appears to praise someone but actually contains a hidden criticism or insult.

"You look great for your age" is a backhanded compliment — it praises while suggesting surprise that you still look good.

Saying her work was 'neat for a beginner' felt like a backhanded compliment to Cyrus.

pay someone a compliment

idiom

to express praise or admiration for someone, usually face to face.

Anong paid her colleague a compliment on the creative design of the new website.

Jessica blushed when her professor paid her a compliment about her essay.

return the compliment

idiom

to do or say something nice for someone who has done or said something nice for you, or to respond in a similar way (sometimes used sarcastically).

Arjun helped Ramón move house, and Ramón returned the compliment by fixing Arjun's car.

When Renata praised Yuna's cooking, she returned the compliment by complimenting Yuna's garden.

a backhanded compliment

idiom

A remark that sounds nice but actually contains a hidden insult.

Maya called my dress "interesting," which felt like a backhanded compliment.

Did Brian mean that as a backhanded compliment when he said I was surprisingly smart?

compliment — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'compliment' is a specific remark directed at a person about something admirable, and is usually sincere and personal ('She paid him a compliment on his suit'). 'Praise' is broader — it can be public or private and can refer to admiration of a thing, action, or person without being phrased as a direct remark ('The teacher's praise meant a lot'). 'Flattery' carries a negative tone: it is excessive or insincere praise, often given to win favour ('His flattery was so over the top that nobody believed him'). 'Tribute' is the most formal and deliberate — it often involves a public statement or ceremony recognising someone's achievements ('The farewell speech was a moving tribute'). Use 'compliment' for everyday personal admiration, 'praise' for general approval, and 'tribute' for formal recognition.

praise ↗compliment ↗flatterytribute ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • with compliments
  • pay a compliment
  • give one's compliments

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinSpanishItalianFrenchEnglish

The word 'compliment' entered English in the 17th century from French 'compliment', which came from Italian 'complimento' (expression of respect or courtesy). The Italian word traces back to Spanish 'cumplimiento' (fulfillment, courtesy), from Latin 'complēre' (to fill up or complete). Despite sounding similar, 'compliment' is not historically related to 'complement' (also from Latin 'complēre', but through a different path — 'complement' arrived directly from Latin via grammar and mathematics). The modern confusion between the two words emerged because they converged in pronunciation while diverging in meaning.