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:
The council is considering applying for a court injunction to force the owners and occupants to comply with the enforcement notices.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
It was not immediately clear how the decision would comply with a federal judge's order in May that Trump's name be removed from the facade, as only Congress can change it.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
"This is part of our separation from Meta; we must take this step to comply with regulatory requirements in specific parts of the world," Manus said in a blog post.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
In one case, a rogue AI agent created fake human identities in an effort to persuade a human to comply with its request.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
I comply, and Phil slips a soft cloth over my tightened lids and ties it behind my head, taking care not to tangle my hair.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
It has previously said it complies with relevant regulations in the regions where it operates, has never engaged in any trade with Iran and that its suppliers have provided similar assurances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Domani plays a prominent role in New York City’s construction industry, acting as an independent third party to inspect work sites to ensure construction complies with safety codes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Headquartered in Atlanta, Flock has said it contracts with roughly 5,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide and that its technology complies with a California law that limits what information can be shared with federal authorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
"Whilst this complies with the judgment we want to further improve changing facilities for all colleagues."
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Even in her fear of the windstorm, she complies.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Meta previously told AFP in a statement that "the transaction complied fully with applicable law".
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Zemian and Amundson complied and had started to exit the parking lot when a local police officer drove in.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The bulk of Canadian exports to the U.S. have avoided tariffs because they complied with the existing U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Under the old system, the state superintendent has overseen grants while also interpreting state education law and making sure schools complied.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Emma asked Frank to omit other sentences as well, and he complied.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
The researchers also monitor to ensure satellite operators are complying with their licences and track foreign "adversaries".
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
The agency said its officers are trained to enforce immigration laws while protecting public safety and complying with federal law.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
However, that same company later began complying with Ofcom's rules.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
The co-founder of an $8 billion asset-management firm was ousted for not complying with his own in-office policy—and now he is suing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
“He’s been disappointed so many times already, and he’s expecting to be disappointed again. If he’s not complying, you’ll call me?”
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
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.
