comply

verb

com·​ply kəm-ˈplī 

complied; complying

intransitive verb

1

: to conform, submit, or adapt (as to a regulation or to another's wishes) as required or requested

comply with federal law

the devices comply with industry standards

2

obsolete : to be ceremoniously courteous

Synonyms

• adhere (to)
• conform (to)
• follow
• goose-step (to)
• mind
• obey
• observe

Examples of comply in a Sentence

I asked the waitress to refill my coffee cup and she happily complied.

There will be penalties against individuals who fail to comply.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many restaurants have set up self-service kiosks to comply. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024

And the Division of Diversity and Campus Engagement, of which both programs were a part, morphed into the Division of Campus and Community Engagement to comply with the law. —Lily Kepner, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024

The yard was cleaned up a bit in 2018 and 2019, after Gaon was charged with misdemeanors for not complying with a court order to clean up (the case was ultimately dismissed), the Times reported. —Pilar Arias, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024

In a letter to higher education leaders last week, state Sen. Brandon Creighton (R) warned that universities that do not comply could see their funding frozen. —Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024

But it was canceled after Libre did not fully comply with its obligation to turn over evidence, and the judge moved directly to the sanctions phase of the case. —Salvador Rizzo The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 3 Apr. 2024

Both jurisdictions, however, contend that they are not required to comply with the program because the scheme has not yet been incorporated into their municipal storm sewer system permits, which are issued by the State Water Resources Control Board. —Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024

To protect your vision, use safe solar viewers, which are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses and comply with international safety standards. —John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Apr. 2024

The justices will first have to consider a procedural issue — whether the doctors and their associations have legal standing to challenge the FDA's efforts in federal court — before deciding whether the FDA's changes complied with the law. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "to accommodate oneself (to), go along (with), meet the expectations (of), satisfy (obligations of courtesy)," borrowed from Spanish cumplir in this sense, from the earlier transitive senses "carry out, execute, fulfill," going back, with conjugation change, to Latin complēre "to fill" — more at complete entry 1

Note: The verb comply appears more likely to have been borrowed directly from Spanish rather than via Italian (pace the Oxford English Dictionary, first edition). Its use in literate discourse may have grown out of the vogue for Spanish romances that began with The mirrour of princely deedes and knighthood, a translation by Margaret Tyler of Diego Ortúñez de Calahorra's Espejo de príncipes y caballeros that was first printed in 1578. An early example of comply in the relevant sense occurs in another translation of Espejo, by "R.P." (Robert Parry or Parke), printed about 1586: "that the counsaile which you doe aske of your nobles & subiects, is more to complie with them, than anie good will you haue to be counsailed" (The third part of the first booke, of the Mirrour of knighthood). The form of the verb shows assimilation to other verbs ending in -ply, as apply, imply, reply entry 1, and supply entry 1 (which, excepting the last, are not etymologically related).

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

comply

verb

com·​ply kəm-ˈplī 

complied; complying

: to act in agreement with another's wishes or in obedience to a rule

comply with a request

complier

-ˈplī(-ə)r

noun