comply
Americanverb (used without object)
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to act or be in accordance with wishes, requests, demands, requirements, conditions, etc.; agree (sometimes followed bywith ).
They asked him to leave and he complied.
She has complied with the requirements.
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Obsolete. to be courteous or conciliatory.
verb
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(usually foll by with) to act in accordance with rules, wishes, etc; be obedient (to)
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obsolete to be obedient or complaisant
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of comply
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Italian complire, from Spanish cumplir ( see compliment) “to fulfill, accomplish,” from Latin complēre, equivalent to com- com- + plēre “to fill”
Explanation
Comply is to act according to someone's wishes or rules. Although you might like to stay out with your friends, you'll have to comply with your parents' rules and be home by midnight. Comply shares a root with the word, complete. In a way, when you comply with a rule or agreement, you are completing it, or completing your part in it. When someone is in compliance with an agreement or a legal ruling, that means that they have done everything they needed to satisfy the ruling. Comply with the rules of grammar or your English teacher will turn your paper red with ink!
Vocabulary lists containing comply
ASVAB Word Knowledge
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The Hate U Give
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"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry
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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.
“Basically: Comply or else they’ll threaten to sue me, with potential damages. I don’t know what damages a small-time baseball team has before it’s even started its season.”
From Washington Post • Sep. 13, 2021
A new public service announcement from the National Police Association is urging people who believe they are being wrongly arrested to "Comply Now, Complain Later" in an effort to reduce police use-of-force risks.
From Fox News • Jul. 6, 2021
“Start investigating. Comply first with your duty as senator. Don’t be absent.”
From Reuters • Jul. 1, 2021
The Nuforce Be Live5 is a classic pair of neckbuds with a reasonable $99 price, a sweat-proof design, Comply foam tips bundled in the box, and a pleasing, bass-rich sound.
From The Verge • Aug. 21, 2018
“Don’t give your life rights away for free! The day has to be mundane, Valmiki. And day is a mortal’s twenty-four hours. Comply, or else you’ll face the gods’ powers.”
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
