complementary

adjective

com·​ple·​men·​ta·​ry ˌkäm-plə-ˈmen-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce complementary (audio)
1
: serving to fill out or complete
… their economies are more complementary than competitive …William Petersen
2
: mutually supplying each other's lack
… the complementary relationship that binds the two.Colin S. Gray
3
: relating to or constituting one of a pair of contrasting colors that produce a neutral color when combined in suitable proportions
4
: being complements of each other
complementary acute angles
5
: characterized by the capacity for precise pairing of purine and pyrimidine bases between strands of DNA and sometimes RNA such that the structure of one strand determines the other
6
: of, relating to, or based on complementary medicine
Cancer, for example, might be treated by blending the best of the Western medicine … with complementary approaches that could include … acupuncture, nutrition, herbs and massage.Julie Deardorff
complementarily
ˌkäm-plə-ˈmen-t(ə-)rə-lē How to pronounce complementary (audio)
-(ˌ)men-ˈter-ə-lē
-ˈta-rə-
adverb
complementariness noun
complementary noun

Examples of complementary in a Sentence

… hot and sour soup encapsulates the Taoist principle central to Chinese culture: yin and yang, the notion of balancing the universe's opposing yet complementary forces. Rebecca Hays, Cook's Illustrated, January & February 2006
Once Austin got used to what he had on, Jerry was going to talk him into a neck scarf of complementary colors and a cream pullover. Alice Munro, Atlantic, January 1990
Vann and Ellsberg were the odd couple, difficult men from different worlds satisfying complementary needs in each other. Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
… it was becoming more and more clear to him that Miss Bart herself possessed precisely the complementary qualities needed to round off his social personality. Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, 1905
She wore a new outfit with a complementary scarf. My spouse and I have complementary goals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In commercial or mixed-use developments, the tenant mix should be curated to ensure complementary businesses that enhance the overall appeal of the property. Meyer Orbach, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 The cousins’ complementary natures may have bonded them in their youth, and a genuine and abiding love clearly remains. Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 The team has been playing complementary football on both sides of the ball. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 Distinct yet complementary, each dwelling contains two bedrooms and two bathrooms in a little more than 1,250 square feet of two-level living space rife with a mix of terrazzo and cork floors, restored wood surfaces, nine-foot ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for complementary 

Word History

Etymology

complement entry 1 + -ary entry 2, probably in part after French complémentaire

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of complementary was in 1829

Dictionary Entries Near complementary

Cite this Entry

“Complementary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complementary. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

complementary

adjective
com·​ple·​men·​ta·​ry ˌkäm-plə-ˈment-ə-rē How to pronounce complementary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē
: forming or serving as a complement

Medical Definition

complementary

adjective
com·​ple·​men·​ta·​ry ˌkäm-plə-ˈment-ə-rē, -ˈmen-trē How to pronounce complementary (audio)
1
: relating to or constituting one of a pair of contrasting colors that produce a neutral color when combined in suitable proportions
2
: characterized by molecular complementarity
especially : characterized by the capacity for precise pairing of purine and pyrimidine bases between strands of DNA and sometimes RNA such that the structure of one strand determines the other
complementariness noun

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