serving as a complement to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "serving as a complement to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that enhances or completes another element in a sentence or context. Example: "The new software features are serving as a complement to our existing tools, improving overall efficiency."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

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

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 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

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

Results from this test quantify the post-yield behavior of the pile and serve as a complement to previously conducted centrifuge tests.

Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering

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

In contrast, informal care might serve as a complement to formal care that cannot be replaced by family or other informal caregivers, such as outpatient care requiring professional practice.

Health Economics Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Vary your sentence structure by occasionally using synonyms like "supplementing" or "enhancing" to maintain reader engagement.

Common error

Avoid using "serving as a complement to" when the elements are intended to be substitutes rather than enhancements. The phrase implies an additive, not a replacement, relationship.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "serving as a complement to" acts as a predicate adjective, describing the role or function of a subject in relation to another element. It specifies that the subject enhances, improves, or completes the other element, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "serving as a complement to" is a grammatically correct and versatile expression used to describe how one element enhances or completes another. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's frequently found in formal and scientific contexts, clarifying relationships between different entities. When using this phrase, it's important to ensure the relationship between elements is additive, not substitutive, and to clearly define what's being complemented to avoid ambiguity. Alternative phrases like "acting as an adjunct to" or "functioning as a supplement to" can provide nuanced variations to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

complementing

A direct synonym, focusing on completing or perfecting.

acting as an adjunct to

Emphasizes a supportive or auxiliary role, slightly more formal.

working in conjunction with

Highlights the collaborative aspect of the relationship.

functioning as a supplement to

Focuses on providing something that is lacking or deficient.

supplementing

Focuses on filling in gaps or providing extra elements.

serving to augment

Highlights the increase or enhancement provided.

being ancillary to

Suggests a secondary or subordinate role.

enhancing

A more concise term emphasizing the improvement aspect.

adding to

A simple and straightforward alternative.

assisting with

Highlights the support or aid provided.

FAQs

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

Use "serving as a complement to" to describe something that enhances or completes another element. For example, "The new software features are serving as a complement to our existing tools, improving overall efficiency."

What are some alternatives to "serving as a complement to"?

You can use alternatives like "acting as an adjunct to", "working in conjunction with", or "functioning as a supplement to" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "serving as a complement to" and "supplementing"?

"Serving as a complement to" suggests enhancing something already complete, while "supplementing" ("supplementing") focuses on filling gaps or providing what's missing. The nuance depends on whether you're improving something versus completing it.

When is it appropriate to use "serving as a complement to" in formal writing?

It's suitable in formal writing when describing how one element enhances or improves another, especially in academic, scientific, or professional contexts where precision and clarity are essential.