complimentary

/kɑmplɪˈmɛntri/

/kɒmplɪˈmɛntri/

Other forms: complimentarily

If you say something complimentary, like "Grandma, that plastic flower looks so pretty in your hair," you are flattering, praising or admiring someone.

"Resembling a compliment" is one way to define the word complimentary, when you use it in the sense of giving praise. A second meaning of complimentary is "free." If your hotel includes breakfast with the price of your room, they may call it a complimentary breakfast. It's easy to get complimentary confused with complementary, which sounds exactly the same but means "filling in or completing."

Definitions of complimentary

1. adjective

   conveying or resembling a compliment
   “a complimentary remark”

   synonyms:

   encomiastic, eulogistic, panegyric, panegyrical

   formally expressing praise

   laudatory, praiseful, praising

   full of or giving praise

   favorable, favourable

   encouraging or approving or pleasing

   antonyms:

   uncomplimentary

   tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage

   belittling, deprecating, deprecative, deprecatory, depreciative, depreciatory, slighting

   tending to diminish or disparage

   derogative, derogatory, disparaging

   expressive of low opinion

   dislogistic, dyslogistic, pejorative

   expressing disapproval

   sneering, snide, supercilious

   expressive of contempt

   unfavorable, unfavourable

   not encouraging or approving or pleasing
2. adjective

   costing nothing
   “complimentary tickets”

   synonyms: costless, free, gratis, gratuitous

   unpaid

   not paid