to supplement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to supplement" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to indicate that something is being used to provide additional information or support. For example, "We are using a variety of resources to supplement our lesson plan."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To supplement his income, he sold horses.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This helps to supplement our tracking data.

The New York Times

They were going to supplement.

The New York Times - Sports

To supplement her income, Manie deals hashish.

The New York Times

Her hope was to supplement Papi's salary.

The New York Times

You had to supplement your income".

The Guardian - Books

-- to supplement their Screen Actors Guild pensions.

The New York Times

The rest you have to supplement.

The Washington Post

(f)Requirement to supplement approved application.

Cornell University

Groups are intended to supplement individual therapy.

Columbia University

These are intended to supplement the text.

Princeton University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with nouns like "income", "diet", "research" or "efforts" to indicate a secondary, supportive action.

Common error

Avoid using "to supplement" when the new item is intended to completely replace the original one. The phrase implies that the original remains, but is now better supported.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to supplement" primarily functions as an infinitive verb phrase. In many Ludwig examples, it acts as an adverbial of purpose, explaining the motivation behind an action, such as taking a job to increase financial stability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Academia

27%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "to supplement" is a robust and versatile linguistic tool used to indicate the addition of support, resources or information to an existing base. Analysis from Ludwig reveals its high frequency in journalistic and academic settings, particularly when discussing financial income, dietary needs or research methodologies. It is grammatically classified as an infinitive phrase and is widely accepted as the standard way to describe filling a deficiency without replacing the original subject. Writers should distinguish it from "to complement", which focuses on completion rather than just addition. Overall, it is a key phrase for professional clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to add to

A more basic and general alternative for increasing quantity.

to augment

Focuses on increasing the size, value or strength of something.

to enhance

Emphasizes improving the quality or intensity of the original.

to top up

Common in British English, often used for finances or quantities.

to bolster

Implies adding support to make something stronger.

to complement

Used when the addition completes or perfectly matches the original part.

to reinforce

Specific to adding strength or validity to an existing structure or argument.

to eke out

Often used specifically with income to mean barely making ends meet through additions.

to amplify

Suggests making something more powerful or extensive.

to subsidize

A more formal term restricted mostly to financial aid and support.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "to supplement"?

You can use synonyms like "to augment" or "to add to" depending on whether you are increasing the value or just the quantity of the original object.

What is the difference between "to supplement" and "to complement"?

While "to complement" means to complete or improve something by being paired with it, "to supplement" focuses on adding more of something specifically to make up for a lack or deficiency.

How to use "to supplement" in a sentence?

Examples from Ludwig show it is often used as a purpose clause, such as: "He worked two jobs "to supplement his income"."

Can "to supplement" be used in academic writing?

Yes, it is very common in academic contexts. Researchers often use existing data "to supplement research" or provide additional context to their findings.