compliant

adjective

com·​pli·​ant kəm-ˈplī-ənt 

1

: ready or disposed to comply : submissive

a corrupt regime aided by a compliant press

was compliant and eager to please

2

: conforming to requirements

compliant software

compliantly adverb

Synonyms

• amenable
• biddable
• conformable
• docile
• law-abiding
• obedient
• submissive
• tractable

Examples of compliant in a Sentence

I asked him for a favor, and he was compliant.

The student's shirt was not compliant with the school's dress code.

The software is compliant with the latest standards.

Recent Examples on the Web

Oil and gas that is not compliant would face a 10% tariff. —Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025

Trump delayed the original duties until March, and then added another one-month reprieve for all vehicles compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) rules of origin. —Nora Eckert, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025

While Mickey is clueless, compliant, and a bit dense, Nasha is clever, confident, and fearless. —Kathleen Newman-Bremang, refinery29.com, 10 Mar. 2025

And because teams don’t have to be cap compliant during the playoffs, Florida is able to use all of that money throughout the regular season as long as Tkachuk remains sidelined. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

comply + -ant entry 2

Note: The meaning of compliant has most likely been influenced by the etymologically unrelated word pliant.

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for compliant

• defiant
• reliant
• suppliant
• client
• giant
• pliant
• scient
• noncompliant
• supergiant

Kids Definition

compliant

adjective

com·​pli·​ant kəm-ˈplī-ənt 

: ready or willing to comply : submissive

compliantly adverb