supplement
Americannoun
-
supplements
plural
-
something added to complete a thing, supply a deficiency, or reinforce or extend a whole.
-
a part added to a book, document, etc., to supply additional or later information, correct errors, or the like.
- Synonyms:
- postscript, epilogue, addendum
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a part, usually of special character, issued as an additional feature of a newspaper or other periodical.
-
Geometry. the quantity by which an angle or an arc falls short of 180° or a semicircle.
verb (used with object)
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supplements,
present (3rd person singular)
-
supplemented,
past participle, past
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supplementing
present participle
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to complete, add to, or extend by a supplement.
-
to form a supplement or addition to.
-
to supply (a deficiency).
noun
-
an addition designed to complete, make up for a deficiency, etc
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a section appended to a publication to supply further information, correct errors, etc
-
a magazine or section inserted into a newspaper or periodical, such as one with colour photographs issued every week
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geometry
-
either of a pair of angles whose sum is 180°
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Abbreviation: sup, supp. an arc of a circle that when added to another arc forms a semicircle
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verb
Usage
What does supplement mean? A supplement is an addition to something that completes it or makes up for a shortcoming, as in He takes vitamin supplements to make up for his vitamin C deficiency. A supplement is also an addition to a book that provides important information or corrects errors. In this sense, supplement can be confused with the words appendix and index. An appendix gives additional information, such as charts and graphs, but the book or document would be considered complete without it. An index is an alphabetical list of names or topics with page numbers that helps you find something specific in the book, such as all the references to John Wilkes Booth in a biography of Abraham Lincoln. As a verb, supplement means to add to something, as in Tameka sold paintings to supplement her income. In this sense, supplement can be confused with the word complement. Both words mean to add something, but to complement means to add something to make up for a missing piece or element, while to supplement is to add extra information. Example: The company built a new roller coaster to supplement its original roller coaster, which always has a long line.
Synonym Usage
See appendix. See complement.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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supplementsimple
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supplementssimple
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have supplementedperfect
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has supplementedperfect
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am supplementingprogressive
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are supplementingprogressive
-
is supplementingprogressive
-
have been supplementingperfect progressive
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has been supplementingperfect progressive
Past
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supplementedsimple
-
had supplementedperfect
-
was supplementingprogressive
-
were supplementingprogressive
-
had been supplementingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of supplement
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin supplēmentum “that by which anything is made full,” equivalent to sup- sup- + plē- (stem of plēre “to fill”; see full 1) + -mentum -ment
Explanation
A supplement is something added to something else. Nutritional supplements add vitamins and minerals to the ones already included in the food you eat. If a zombie army wants to increase its ranks but is running out of bodies, it might supplement its troops with mummies. If the zombies put out their manifesto and then realize they left out an important point, they might supplement the manifesto with a press release. That press release could also be referred to as a supplement.
Vocabulary lists containing supplement
Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
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Nutrition - Introductory
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Nutrition - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Plus, dissolving supplement strips are winning over the wellness crowd.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
But the claim is often made without clinical trials, which are not required by the FDA for dietary supplement products.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Creatine seems to be everywhere lately, the “it” supplement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Technologists envision a future where robots can supplement a declining labor force caused by shifting demographics, and spare humans from dangerous and dirty work.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
My mom and I had pooled our resources to supplement my winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
StripIt’s offerings include products formulated with probiotics and fiber, and Biostrips sells varieties with Reducose and Chromax, supplements that help to regulate blood sugar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Amid the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, videos of a doctor recommending Vitamin D3 and zinc spread from accounts selling supplements, despite these being unable to treat the disease.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
There were problems with spending on suspicious health supplements.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Reduced TET enzyme activity is a common feature in some blood cancers, prompting researchers to investigate whether vitamin C supplements might benefit people at risk of developing these diseases.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
She stopped to browse through the shelf of role-playing game supplements.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
When researchers supplemented the animals' diets with LPC70, several of these effects were reduced.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026
They’re attempting a similar balancing act with the corporate name, which remains Beyond Meat Inc. but now gets supplemented in press releases and earnings with the note, “otherwise known as Beyond The Plant Protein Company.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
And so, when they ended up in front of miraculous testimonials of healing, often supplemented by A.I.-generated photos or videos, they took it seriously.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
Over the years, my mother and I have supplemented his income.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
The other musicians supplemented their pay through various individual engagements, most of which were arranged by Mr. Turner, he taking some portion of our pay for the privilege of our hire.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
In January, Boeing unveiled a new MAX production line in Everett, Washington, supplementing output for a plane that had previously been assembled exclusively in Renton, Washington.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
The ratio was changed a bit—ground ops were supplementing the air war, not the other way around; but still the ground ops were necessary.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
Scientists still do not know whether boosting Menin or supplementing with D-serine could safely slow aging or improve cognition in people.
From Science Daily ● May 24, 2026
OpenAI and Anthropic are supplementing their FDE teams by partnering with consulting firms.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 4, 2026
A contingent of German soldiers seemed to be supplementing the regular police force.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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