serve as a complement to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "serve as a complement to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that something provides additional value or helps to complete something. For example, "The colorful accessories serve as a complement to her bold outfit."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

Spread on bread or serve as a complement to roasted meats or fried fish.

The New York Times - Magazine

And though McCain insists it will serve as a complement to similar international institutions, its promotion would only weaken the UN, which is just beginning to make small progress in places like Iran and Darfur.

The Guardian - Opinion

This application can serve as a complement to other technologies, supporting Tele Care in Smart Home Care.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

This landscape is intended to serve as a complement to Shivon Zilis's birds-eye view of AI startups.

TechCrunch

The sharing platform can serve as a complement to Facebook, where most families network today, though in a more restrained fashion.

TechCrunch

Therefore, compost addition can serve as a complement to fertilizer use and reduce dependence on mineral fertilizer in low-input crop production system.

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

The authors acknowledge that text mining, at its present stage, serves as a complement to, but not a replacement of, conventional review papers.

Solar Energy

Human capital also has a direct role as a factor of production, and jointly with physical capital, serves as a complement to other factors by contributing to technology and efficiency, thus to growth.

Journal of Economic Structures

Still, this research serves as a complement to studies on specific family-level changes by providing a big-picture view on the relative importance the time-varying family environment.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

Other virtual data room providers include Firmex, Intralinks and Merrill Corporation, but Ansarada chief executive officer Sam Riley says one of its competitive advantages is its recently launched Material Information Platform (MIP), which serves as a complement to its data rooms.

TechCrunch

The exploitation of ocean energy is currently recognized as an abundant, geographically diverse and renewable energy source that could benefit European citizens by increasing energy independence, enhancing economic growth, creating jobs, allowing decarbonization or serving as a complement to other renewable sources within the global energy mix.

Applied Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "serve as a complement to" to clearly indicate that something enhances or completes another element, avoiding ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "serve as a complement to" excessively. Vary your language by using synonyms such as "supplement", "augment", or "enhance" for a more engaging text.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "serve as a complement to" functions as a verb phrase indicating that one element enhances or completes another. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to denote a supportive or supplementary role, contributing additional value.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

29%

Formal & Business

24%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "serve as a complement to" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression indicating that one thing enhances or completes another. Ludwig's analysis reveals that it is most frequently found in scientific and news media contexts, with a neutral to formal register. It's important to use this phrase judiciously, varying your language with synonyms like "supplement" or "augment" to avoid repetition. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase clearly demonstrates a supportive or supplementary role, contributing additional value.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

act as an adjunct to

Replaces "serve" with "act" and "complement" with "adjunct", emphasizing a supporting function.

function as a supplement to

Substitutes "complement" with "supplement", highlighting the provision of something extra or additional.

work in conjunction with

Focuses on the collaborative aspect of the phrase, indicating things working together.

enhance the effectiveness of

Emphasizes the improvement or amplification provided to something else.

add to the value of

Highlights the contribution of additional merit or significance.

augment the utility of

Focuses on increasing the usefulness or practicality of something.

bolster the strength of

Emphasizes the reinforcing or strengthening effect on something else.

be an auxiliary to

Uses "auxiliary" to denote a helping or assisting role.

round out

Implies completeness achieved through the addition of something.

support and enhance

Uses two verbs to convey the idea of providing assistance and improvement.

FAQs

How can I use "serve as a complement to" in a sentence?

Use "serve as a complement to" to show that one thing enhances or completes another, for example: "The detailed illustrations "serve as a complement to" the complex narrative".

What can I say instead of "serve as a complement to"?

You can use alternatives like "act as an adjunct to", "function as a supplement to", or "work in conjunction with" depending on the context.

Is there a subtle difference between "serve as a complement to" and "serve as a supplement to"?

"Serve as a complement to" suggests that something enhances or completes another, whereas "serve as a supplement to" indicates providing something extra or additional.

What does "serve as a complement to" imply about the relationship between two things?

It implies that one thing enhances, completes, or improves the other, indicating a relationship of support or enhancement.