comply

comply — verb

1. to do what a law, rule, or request says you must do — for example, a factory red

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to do what a law, rule, or request says you must do — for example, a factory reducing pollution to meet government standards, or a citizen paying taxes on time.

Example

Lara's company must comply with the new data protection rules by next month.

comply with + regulations / rules

The factory had to comply with strict environmental laws or pay a heavy fine.

Common collocations
  • comply with regulations
  • comply with a request
  • comply with standards
  • comply with the law
  • comply with an order
  • comply with requirements
Synonyms
  • obey

    Stronger and more personal — used for direct orders or commands from a person or authority.

  • follow

    More general and less formal — works in everyday situations like following rules or instructions.

  • adhere to

    Formal, emphasises sticking closely to a principle, rule, or standard over time.

  • conform to

    Focuses on matching expected standards or norms, often in social or organisational contexts.

Antonyms
  • disobey

    Deliberately not following a rule or order.

  • defy

    Openly resisting or challenging an authority or rule.

  • violate

    Breaking a law, agreement, or rule, usually with a sense of seriousness.

Grammar Patterns

comply + with + noun phrase

Usage Note

Typically followed by the preposition 'with' to introduce the rule, order, or request. Very common in formal, legal, and business writing; less frequent in everyday conversation, where 'obey' or 'follow' are more natural.

Common Mistakes

All employees must comply to the new dress code.
All employees must comply with the new dress code.
'comply' always takes 'with', never 'to'.
The driver complied the traffic rules.
The driver complied with the traffic rules.
'comply' is intransitive and requires a preposition.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Obey' is the strongest and most personal: you obey a parent, a police officer, or a direct command. 'Follow' is the most general and informal — it works for instructions, advice, trends, or rules. 'Comply with' is formal and impersonal, typical of legal, regulatory, or bureaucratic contexts: companies comply with laws, not people you know. 'Adhere to' adds a sense of loyalty or strict commitment over time, as in adhering to a code of conduct. 'Conform to' focuses on meeting expected standards or norms, often social: a product must conform to safety standards, or a person may conform to group expectations. For everyday situations, use 'follow' or 'obey'; for formal or legal writing, 'comply with' or 'adhere to' are more appropriate.

obey ↗follow ↗adhere to ↗conform to

Common collocations

Nouns

  • regulations
  • rules
  • laws
  • standards
  • requirements
  • the order
  • the request
  • the terms
  • the conditions

Adverbs

  • fully comply
  • strictly comply
  • willingly comply
  • promptly comply
  • properly comply

Phrases

  • refuse to comply
  • fail to comply
  • require someone to comply
  • in compliance with

Prepositions

  • comply with

Etymology

ItalianLatinEnglish

'Comply' came into English from Italian 'compiacere' (to please, be agreeable), which came from Latin 'complēre' (to fill up, complete). The original idea was 'to fulfill' or 'to satisfy' someone's wishes, and over time the meaning shifted to 'to act in accordance with a rule or order.'