comply
Americanverb (used without object)
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complies,
present (3rd person singular)
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complied,
past participle, past
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complying
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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complysimple
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compliessimple
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have compliedperfect
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has compliedperfect
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am complyingprogressive
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are complyingprogressive
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is complyingprogressive
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have been complyingperfect progressive
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has been complyingperfect progressive
Past
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compliedsimple
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had compliedperfect
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was complyingprogressive
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were complyingprogressive
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had been complyingperfect progressive
Future
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.
See Examples For:
Hoskins chose to comply with the lower court judge’s order over the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
The US State Department, which received the requests last week, will review the extradition applications to make sure they comply with the existing agreement between the US and UK.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Clippers owner says his team will comply with the league’s penalty for salary cap violations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
After initially vowing to fight NBA sanctions, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer announced Sunday the team will comply with the league ruling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Unfortunately, Taser ball was in no shape to comply.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
The severe depletion of mackerel numbers has led to the fish losing its MSC certification, meaning it no longer complies with many retailers' sustainability policies.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
For its part, CiviClick notes on its website that it supports SB 1159, and said its platform already complies with what the bill proposes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Mr. Sharaa, the victorious rebel commander, now complies with the IAEA.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
After lawmakers voted through the bill last month, Lecornu referred parts of the legislation to the council - a nine-member authority that checks whether a law complies with the constitution - for review.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
“The act complies with the requirements of due process of law,” the decision read.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
An investigation by the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell concluded the company had complied with regulations, according to people familiar with the findings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
The Met had already been investigating whether payments to Reform in the weeks before the last election complied with donation laws.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
There was a solid two weeks when I complied with its whims.
From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026
The European Commission had also raised questions over whether the legislation complied with EU law, but Lefevre's office said those concerns had been "dispelled" and the measure was not expected to be blocked.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
These were clear enough instructions, easy to follow, and, needless to say, immediately complied with.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
“We have communicated to the NBA that we are complying with the penalties assessed by the league, have paid the fine, and are moving forward.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Assn. of Independent California Colleges and Universities Kristen Soares said the group was “reviewing the proposed IRS regulations and their potential impact,” adding that “our institutions are committed to complying with applicable civil rights laws.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
"I think she is simply complying with the demands she's getting from Washington."
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
The researchers also monitor to ensure satellite operators are complying with their licences and track foreign "adversaries".
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
“But there can be no danger in complying with this, sir.”
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
