What does complimenting mean?
Complimenting is the act of expressing praise, admiration, or congratulation toward someone, usually in a polite and gracious manner. As the present participle and gerund of the verb 'compliment,' it appears in progressive constructions such as 'she was complimenting the team' and in gerund uses like 'he enjoys complimenting his colleagues.' The practice of complimenting is a cornerstone of social courtesy across English-speaking cultures, softening interactions, building rapport, and acknowledging achievement or appearance. Its tone is generally sincere and positive, though context matters: excessive or pointed praise can shade into flattery, which carries an implication of insincerity. A frequent source of confusion is the near-homophone 'complementing,' which refers to things completing or enhancing one another rather than to verbal praise. Derived from the same Latin root as words like 'complete' and 'comply,' 'complimenting' remains a versatile and socially valuable word.
verbThe present participle and gerund of the verb 'compliment': expressing praise, admiration, or congratulation to someone, typically politely or graciously.
- Expressing praise, admiration, or congratulations to someone in speech or writing (e.g. 'He kept complimenting her cooking').
"She kept complimenting the chef on the wonderful meal throughout the evening."
"The host spent the evening complimenting each guest on their contributions to the charity."
"In his speech, he was complimenting the volunteers for months of tireless effort."
English borrowed 'compliment' from French — which took it from Italian — but the word's Latin root literally means 'to fill up,' so every compliment you give is etymologically an act of completion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of complimenting
'Complimenting' derives from the verb 'compliment,' which entered English from French in the 16th century, ultimately tracing back through Italian 'complimento' to the Latin verb 'complere,' meaning 'to fill up or complete.' The word originally carried the sense of fulfilling a duty or obligation of courtesy before narrowing to its modern meaning of polite expression of praise or admiration. Cognate forms appear across European languages, including Italian 'complimento' and Spanish 'cumplido.' The participial form 'complimenting' has followed standard English inflectional patterns since the verb's adoption.
Related word forms
How complimenting is actually used
'Complimenting' functions grammatically as a present participle (progressive tenses) or gerund; it carries a warm, positive connotation and is appropriate in both formal and informal registers. It should not be confused with 'complementing,' a common spelling mix-up.
Easily confused with complimenting
'Complementing' means completing or enhancing something by combining well with it, while 'complimenting' means praising or expressing admiration for someone.
Flattering often implies praise that is exaggerated or insincere for personal gain, whereas complimenting is generally understood as sincere and polite.