complementary color
noun
technical
: one of two colors (such as red and green) that are very different from each other and produce a dull color (such as brown or gray) when they are mixed together
Examples of complementary color in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Go for a bold pattern—like plaid or polka dots—and reach for boots in a complementary color.
—
Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 26 Mar. 2026
Add complementary color and protection from pests with a colorful planting of lantana (Lantana camara).
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026
From high-tops inspired by boxing footwear to jarring-yet-complementary color combinations, the Bulgarian designer’s link-ups with the Japanese sportswear company have produced some of the more captivating collaborations in athletic footwear.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 19 Feb. 2026
Inspired by a print on wood by Australian photographer Sarah Bahbah in his dining room, Piña decorated the living and dining room in a complementary color palette.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2025
Here a pair of complementary color schemes—red and green and blue and orange—bring vibrancy to the space.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2025
The Orbs at the center of the paintings (one, as is above, the other, so is below) are surrounded by colors that reverberate in complementary color s schemes that nonetheless are strikingly separate.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Many found harmony through complementary color palettes.
—Simbarashe Cha, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Add a leather tote bag in a complementary color to your outfit base.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 23 July 2024
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Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 26 Mar. 2026
Add complementary color and protection from pests with a colorful planting of lantana (Lantana camara).
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026
From high-tops inspired by boxing footwear to jarring-yet-complementary color combinations, the Bulgarian designer’s link-ups with the Japanese sportswear company have produced some of the more captivating collaborations in athletic footwear.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 19 Feb. 2026
Inspired by a print on wood by Australian photographer Sarah Bahbah in his dining room, Piña decorated the living and dining room in a complementary color palette.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2025
Here a pair of complementary color schemes—red and green and blue and orange—bring vibrancy to the space.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2025
The Orbs at the center of the paintings (one, as is above, the other, so is below) are surrounded by colors that reverberate in complementary color s schemes that nonetheless are strikingly separate.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Many found harmony through complementary color palettes.
—Simbarashe Cha, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024
Add a leather tote bag in a complementary color to your outfit base.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 23 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Complementary color.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complementary%20color. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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