What is the difference between complimentary and complementary?

Answer by  monkeyz (3150)

The two words do have different meanings. "Complimentary" refers to compliments. If someone is complimentary, they say nice things and pay people compliments. "Complementary" refers to two things that complete each other or make up for what the other lacks. For example, two angles that equal 90 degrees are complementary.

Answer by  patti (29325)

Thank you for the compliment! Here are two complimentary tickets for you! I want to choose a complementary shade of blue for my curtains to complement the wall color.

Answer by  malone (4817)

They are different words that mean different things. Complimentary is something free, like a complimentary ticket, a kind remark (The soup was delicious!). Complementary refers to that something that complements, like your eyes and the complementary color of your sweater.