compliance

[ kuhm-plahy-uhns ]

/ kəmˈplaɪ əns /

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See synonyms for compliance on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding.

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

conformity; accordance: in compliance with orders.

cooperation or obedience: Compliance with the law is expected of all.

Physics.

the strain of an elastic body expressed as a function of the force producing the strain.
a coefficient expressing the responsiveness of a mechanical system to a periodic force.

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Origin of compliance

First recorded in 1635–45; comply + -ance

OTHER WORDS FROM compliance

o·ver·com·pli·ance, nounpre·com·pli·ance, noun

Words nearby compliance

complex salt, complex sentence, complex variable, complex wave, compliable, compliance, compliance officer, compliancy, compliant, complicacy, complicate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT COMPLIANCE

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.

Where does compliance come from?

The first records of the term compliance come from around the 1630s. It combines the term comply, meaning “to act according to wishes or demands,” and the suffix –ance, which forms nouns from adjectives or verbs.

Compliance can also mean cooperation or obedience, as in The factory was found to be in full compliance with all safety regulations. Many large companies will have compliance officers, whose job is to check and change the organization’s policies to make sure they comply with government and local regulations.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to compliance?

overcompliance (noun)
precompliance (noun)

What are some synonyms for compliance?

What are some words that share a root or word element with compliance?

What are some words that often get used in discussing compliance?

How is compliance used in real life?

Compliance is frequently used in official documents and other formal writing.

Deshaun Watson asks to be traded: Crickets.
J.J. Watt asks to be released, with the team getting nothing in return for him: Immediate compliance.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 12, 2021

Coinbase just announced that they have hired Jeff Horowitz as the new Chief Compliance Officer. He previously worked at Pershing, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Salomon Brothers.

The brain drain from Wall Street continues 👊🏽

— Pomp 🌪 (@APompliano) July 31, 2018

#Breaking The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran remains in compliance with the nuclear deal, providing access to all sites

— PA Media (@PA) August 30, 2018

Try using compliance!

Is compliance used correctly in the following sentence?

In compliance with the university’s new regulations, we will be replacing our food serving stations with self-serve buffets.

How to use compliance in a sentence

The Police has failed to implement sufficient organisational measures to ensure and be able to demonstrate that the processing of personal data in this case has been carried out in compliance with the Criminal Data Act.
Sweden’s data watchdog slaps police for unlawful use of Clearview AI|Natasha Lomas|February 12, 2021|TechCrunch
However, Mastercard says that it's only going to support cryptocurrencies that meet a number of requirements—including stability, privacy, and compliance with money laundering laws.
Mastercard will support cryptocurrencies—but not the ones you think|Timothy B. Lee|February 11, 2021|Ars Technica
CEO Frida Polli told me she thought the experience could be a model for compliance with a proposed law requiring such audits for companies in New York City, where Pymetrics is based.
Auditors are testing hiring algorithms for bias, but there’s no easy fix|Amy Nordrum|February 11, 2021|MIT Technology Review
As we reported in Digiday recently, all eyes are on privacy law activity at the state level as industry pushes for a federal law in the hopes of simplifying compliance, and maybe overriding tougher state laws.
Media Briefing: Facebook pivots away from politics –publishers say ‘we’re just along for the ride’|Tim Peterson|February 11, 2021|Digiday

Norwood Borough Attorney Kevin Corriston said he believed the town was in compliance, but that he was unfamiliar with the law and would investigate further.
How the Police Bank Millions Through Their Union Contracts|by Andrew Ford, Asbury Park Press, and Agnes Chang, Jeff Kao and Agnel Philip, ProPublica|February 8, 2021|ProPublica
Day by day, it drives people to distraction by diverting energy to mindless legal compliance.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wright approved one of the wells after the operator agreed to bring it into compliance, according to the letter.
Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired.|David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In compliance with the flight plan, the 777 was at 33,000 feet.
MH17 Switched Places With Another Jet|Clive Irving|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A. Yes, after the strikes, and we were able to gain enough compliance to get his arms back.
From Ferguson Cop Embroiled in a Brutality Suit to City Councilwoman|Michael Daly|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As expected, they reported that we were in full compliance and all our expenditures were appropriate.
Exclusive: ‘Pro-Troop’ Charity Pays Off Tea Party Cronies Instead|Kim Barker|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It secures in many cases, at least, a ready compliance with a large part of the discipline enforced.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Mademoiselle had incontinently refused, and madame, to win her compliance, had resorted to threats.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Whereupon, unwilling and rather stern compliance on the man's part—the handsome face darkened with most unnecessary frowns.
Marriage la mode|Mrs. Humphry Ward
Of general professions of loyalty the Earl was lavish enough, but when it came to material guarantees there was less compliance.
Ireland Under the Tudors, Vol. II (of 3)|Richard Bagwell
Did he feel the revolt in my tone and understand then as well as afterward what the nature of my compliance had been?
The Circular Study|Anna Katharine Green

British Dictionary definitions for compliance

compliance

compliancy

/ (kəmˈplaɪəns) /

noun

the act of complying; acquiescence

a disposition to yield to or comply with others

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

compliance

Origin of compliance

OTHER WORDS FROM compliance

Words nearby compliance

MORE ABOUT COMPLIANCE

What is compliance?

Where does compliance come from?

Did you know … ?

How is compliance used in real life?

Try using compliance!

Words related to compliance

How to use compliance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for compliance

compliancy