compliance

[kuhm-plahy-uhns]

noun

1. the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding.

2. a tendency to yield readily to others, especially in a weak and subservient way.

3. conformity; accordance.

   in compliance with orders.

4. cooperation or obedience.

   Compliance with the law is expected of all.

5. Physics.

   1. the strain of an elastic body expressed as a function of the force producing the strain.

   2. a coefficient expressing the responsiveness of a mechanical system to a periodic force.

compliance

/ kəmˈplaɪəns /

noun

1. the act of complying; acquiescence

2. a disposition to yield to or comply with others

3. C. a measure of the ability of a mechanical system to respond to an applied vibrating force, expressed as the reciprocal of the system's stiffness

Other Word Forms

• overcompliance noun
• precompliance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of compliance¹

First recorded in 1635–45; comply + -ance

Example Sentences

Critically, civil enforcement inspections — on-site visits to facilities to check their compliance with environmental regulations — will also cease.

From Los Angeles Times

And that’s their vulnerability, too, because the governed can undermine the power of their rulers by withdrawing that very compliance and assistance.

From Salon

Managing risk and ensuring organisations meet compliance and regulatory obligations can be a challenge when other teams are desperate to get new applications or services live without considering all the security angles.

From BBC

Currently exporting to Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia, farmers like Campbell would be gaining access to a massive new market, once Zimbabwe passes China's compliance tests on pest and disease control.

From BBC

David Ellison has said Skydance was not involved in the Paramount settlement and his firm is in compliance with anti-bribery laws.

From BBC

Related Words

• conformity 
• consent 

When To Use

What is compliance?

Compliance is the act of conforming and yielding, as with orders or laws. It is usually used in reference to written rules and regulations or spoken commands, as from police officers or a superior.Compliance can also refer to someone’s tendency to agree, especially in a submissive way.In physics, compliance refers to a coefficient expressing something’s responsiveness or counterforce when force is applied to it.Related to that, compliance is also the strain of an elastic body expressed as a function of the force producing the strain. In other words, compliance describes how easy it is for something to pool or flow within parts of the body or flexible vessels.Example: To be in full compliance with his school’s uniform policy, Tom had to get his hair cut.