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
- complier noun
- uncomplying adjective
Etymology
Origin of comply
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Italian complire, from Spanish cumplir ( compliment ) “to fulfill, accomplish,” from Latin complēre, equivalent to com- com- + plēre “to fill”
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.
NGOs contacted by AFP, several of whom declined to be quoted on the record due to the sensitivity of the issue, say they complied with most of Israel's requirements to provide a complete dossier.
From Barron's
He continued: "And if by complying with the statute we don't produce everything on Friday, we produce things next week and the week after, that's still compliance with the statute."
From BBC
The DOJ said it would comply with the congressional request to release documents, with some stipulations.
From BBC
It warns against buying electrical products from online-only sellers because they may not comply with UK safety standards and could cause fires.
From BBC
The Justice Department released a library of files on Friday related to Jeffrey Epstein, partially complying with a new federal law compelling their release, while acknowledging that hundreds of thousands of files remain sealed.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
