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 of comply

• obey
• follow
• conform (to)

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

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

The 911 calls are being released to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests, McCall said. —Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025

The deputies repeatedly told him to drop his weapon, but the 18-year-old did not comply. —Wcco Staff, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025

Companies implementing such systems must comply with ISO, GDPR, and industry requirements. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025

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

Rhymes for comply

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny
• descry

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