complimentary

[kom-pluh-men-tuh-ree, -tree]

adjective

1. given free as a gift or courtesy.

   The hotel gives repeat guests a complimentary gift basket

2. expressing a compliment, often one that is politely flattering.

   a complimentary remark.

   Synonyms: laudatory, commendatory
   Antonyms: abusive

3. showing or conveying approval or favor.

   Our project was received in a complimentary spirit by the community.

   His analysis of our work was not as complimentary as we were hoping it would be.

noun

plural

complimentaries 

1. something given or supplied without charge, such as lodging, transportation, or meals, especially as an inducement to prospective customers.

complimentary

/ -trɪ, ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛntərɪ /

adjective

1. conveying, containing, or resembling a compliment

2. expressing praise; flattering

3. given free, esp as a courtesy or for publicity purposes

Other Word Forms

• complimentarily adverb
• complimentariness noun
• intercomplimentary adjective
• quasi-complimentary adjective
• uncomplimentary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of complimentary¹

First recorded in 1620–30; compliment + -ary

Example Sentences

I went down in the lobby and got a complimentary coffee before they started charging at 9 o’clock, because this success just happened to me.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Presented with a list of my pacing splits after the race, Chat only had complimentary things to say about my performance.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Skip the massages and instead focus on the facilities: complimentary self-service masks and scrubs make it easy to relax and indulge in the spa experience.

Read more on Salon

"Some staff were complimentary and described their line manager as supportive," she said.

Read more on BBC

Overall, however, reactions have been "like Marmite," according to director Michael Folkes – with some people living Geni, and others less complimentary.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• appreciative 
• congratulatory 
• polite 
• respectful 

When To Use

What’s the difference between complimentary and complementary?

Complimentary is an adjective that can describe something intended to be a compliment—a comment that expresses praise or admiration of someone (as in a complimentary remark). It can also be used to mean that something is given for free, as in I hope we get complimentary snacks on this flight. Complementary is an adjective used to describe something that complements something else—goes along with it and serves to make it better or complete it (as in complementary colors).Since the primary senses of both words are generally used in positive contexts, it can be easy to confuse them.The easiest way to remember the difference is that complementary often involves something that completes something else, and complete also starts with c-o-m-p-l-e. On the other hand, you can remember that complimentary is spelled with an i because compliments are something that I like to get (and give). Nice shirt, by the way.Here’s an example of complimentary and complementary used correctly in the same sentence.Example: Sometimes, when the chef overhears complimentary feedback about a dish, she sends out a complimentary bottle of wine—one that’s complementary to the rest of the meal, of course.Want to learn more? Read about the difference between compliment and complement.