as in supplementary
related to each other in such a way that one completes the other
the complementary contributions of the cooking and cleanup committees were essential to the success of the church barbecue
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Recent Examples of complementary
In this environment, talented complementary wingers like Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk receive no service and generate fewer looks.
—
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Tuesday’s re-signings of linebacker Micah McFadden and special teams corner Art Green returned some complementary pieces to the bigger picture on defense, on top of Monday’s addition of Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
There is now growing bipartisan recognition that the US will need two complementary engines of nuclear growth.
—John Kerry, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Rather than replacing district funding, the organization functions as a complementary support system designed to help teachers access classroom materials without relying on personal spending.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complementary
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Tuesday’s re-signings of linebacker Micah McFadden and special teams corner Art Green returned some complementary pieces to the bigger picture on defense, on top of Monday’s addition of Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
There is now growing bipartisan recognition that the US will need two complementary engines of nuclear growth.
—John Kerry, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Rather than replacing district funding, the organization functions as a complementary support system designed to help teachers access classroom materials without relying on personal spending.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complementary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complementary
Adjective
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The other molecules — hundreds of them — have been shelved, untested and relegated for now to the supplementary data sections of journal articles.—
Henry Skinner,
STAT,
5 Mar. 2026
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Trustees also approved a supplementary retirement plan to the Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS) system.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The reciprocal relationship between humans and nature is brought to the fore in the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s official program, with films that capture the effects of human intervention on the environment and the price paid by humanity.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
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Either way, no response — or reciprocal QR code — is required.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Owing to the mutual gravitational influence of one galaxy on another, this should trigger severe star-formation episodes in both galaxies, leading to a massive influx of new stars built out of the internal gas within them.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
13 Mar. 2026
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McKenzie helps to run a mutual aid group, one of several that have sprung up in Atlanta.—
Jess Mador,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complementary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complementary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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