 Compliment vs. Compliment Due to their similar spelling and pronunciation, this word pair is often confused in English. Let's break it down. As a verb and noun, compliment is used to say something nice about someone. For example, I complimented my brother on his delicious cooking. I gave my brother a compliment on his delicious cooking. Compliment, on the other hand, is used when two things go well together or complement each other. It is often used in food and in fashion to describe matching styles or ingredients, such as here. Her black dress complements her red hair. That wine complements the fish very well. I'm sure the difference is clear now and you won't confuse the two words again. That's it for today and see you next time.