compliance
noun
com·pli·ance
kəm-ˈplī-ən(t)s 
1
a
: the act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion
Patient compliance in completing the treatment regimens was excellent.—
Georgia A. Chrousos
Georgia A. Chrousos
b
: conformity in fulfilling official requirements
a certificate of compliance
But despite being in compliance, the stores will be unable to serve beer or wine for 30 days.—Kathy Stephenson
Kathy StephensonModifications were made in compliance with regulations.
2
: a disposition to yield to others
When we focus on behavioral compliance in the moment, we miss out on helping our kids develop their own emotional and cognitive autonomy …—Suzanne Allen and Annalise Caron
Suzanne Allen and Annalise Caron3
: the ability of an object to yield elastically when a force is applied : flexibility
Examples of compliance in a Sentence
She was rewarded for her compliance.
There has been a low rate of compliance with the new law.
Recent Examples on the Web
Security and compliance with standards is another critical point.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Companies that fail to comply would lose their ability to deduct executive compensation from federal taxes—making compliance not just smart, but financially strategic.
—Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Min Chun Fu, a 22-year-old founding engineer at Comp AI, a platform that automates evidence gathering, policy checks, and compliance audits through transparent, observable AI workflows, is currently working to incorporate that confidence into the growing AI industry.
—William Jones, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
Duties include making sure programs follow federal rules as well as helping with compliance reports and providing guidance.
—Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compliance
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Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Companies that fail to comply would lose their ability to deduct executive compensation from federal taxes—making compliance not just smart, but financially strategic.
—Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Min Chun Fu, a 22-year-old founding engineer at Comp AI, a platform that automates evidence gathering, policy checks, and compliance audits through transparent, observable AI workflows, is currently working to incorporate that confidence into the growing AI industry.
—William Jones, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
Duties include making sure programs follow federal rules as well as helping with compliance reports and providing guidance.
—Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compliance
Cite this Entry
“Compliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compliance. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
compliance
noun
com·pli·ance
kəm-ˈplī-ən(t)s
1
: the act or process of complying
2
: a readiness or willingness to yield to others
Medical Definition
compliance
noun
com·pli·ance
kəm-ˈplī-ən(t)s
1
: the ability or process of yielding to changes in pressure without disruption of structure or function
a study of pulmonary compliance
the tone of colonic muscle as judged by compliance of the gut wall—S. C. Truelove
S. C. Truelove2
: the process of complying with a regimen of treatment
simplified drug regimens may encourage better compliance
Legal Definition
compliance
noun
com·pli·ance
kəm-ˈplī-əns
1
: an act or process of complying with a demand or recommendation
2
: observance of official requirements
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