Compliant vs. Compliance — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on August 22, 2023
Compliant is an adjective describing willingness to conform, while compliance is the noun referring to the act of conforming or obeying rules.
Difference Between Compliant and Compliance
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Compliant and compliance, both rooted in the verb "comply," serve distinct purposes in language. Compliant, an adjective, is used to describe entities—often individuals—that readily follow requirements, rules, or wishes. For instance, when a person follows all the safety protocols without fail, they are described as compliant.
Compliance, on the other hand, is a noun. It denotes the act or process of conforming to a rule, standard, or law. When a business adheres to all the required regulations of a country, we say it is in compliance with those regulations.
In everyday scenarios, you might hear someone say that a machine is compliant with safety standards. This implies the machine meets or exceeds the required specifications. Conversely, when speaking of the process of ensuring that the machine meets these standards, one would refer to it as ensuring the machine's compliance.
While compliant and compliance both deal with adherence and conformity, they operate in different spheres of a sentence. Compliant qualifies entities and describes their nature, while compliance speaks to the action or condition of conforming.
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Adjective
Noun
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Describes
An entity (often a person)
The act or process
Usage in a Sentence
The device is compliant with standards.
The company achieved full compliance.
Relation to "Comply"
Describes how one complies
Describes the state of complying
Semantic Focus
Descriptive nature of entity
The action or condition of conforming
Compare with Definitions
Compliant
Willing to obey or conform.
The employee was compliant with all the company's policies.
Compliance
The act of obeying or adhering to a rule or request.
The team ensured the compliance of the product before its release.
Compliant
Meeting specified requirements.
The software is compliant with the latest security standards.
Compliance
Conformity in fulfilling requirements.
The audit checks for tax compliance.
Compliant
Adaptable and responsive.
The material is compliant, making it easy to mold.
Compliance
Fulfillment of specified standards.
The report showcased the company's environmental compliance.
Compliant
Inclined or willing to comply; obedient
Compliant inmates.
Compliance
Submission or yielding to a position.
The manager appreciated her compliance during the team meeting.
Compliant
Yielding; bending; pliant; submissive.
Compliance
A state of being in agreement or alignment.
The device was tested for compliance with safety regulations.
Compliant
Disposed to agree with others or obey rules, especially to an excessive degree; acquiescent
A compliant labour force
Compliance
The property of a material of undergoing elastic deformation or (of a gas) change in volume when subjected to an applied force. It is equal to the reciprocal of stiffness.
Compliant
Meeting or in accordance with rules or standards
Food that is compliant with safety regulations
Compliance
(Medicine) Willingness to follow a prescribed course of treatment.
Compliant
Having the property of compliance
The conversion of the gel to a much less compliant, rigid glass
Compliance
A disposition to yield to others; complaisance.
A man of few words and of great compliance.
Compliant
(Medicine) Properly following a prescribed course of treatment
A patient who was not compliant with his medications.
Compliance
Extension or displacement of a loaded structure per unit load.
Compliant
Displaying compliance
Gave compliant responses.
Compliance
The action or fact of complying with a wish or command
The ways in which the state maintains order and compliance
Compliant
In compliance, as with a standard or regulation
Compliant with state emissions standards.
Medicare-compliant documentation.
Compliance
The act of complying with a wish, request, or demand; acquiescence.
Compliant
Willing to comply; submissive; willing to do what someone wants.
The suspect was compliant when arrested.
Tendon is compliant compared to bone.
Compliance
An act of complying.
Compliant
Compatible with or following guidelines, specifications, rules, or laws.
The browser is standards-compliant.
Compliance
(uncountable) The tendency of conforming with or agreeing to the wishes of others.
Compliant
Disposed or willing to comply;
Children compliant with the parental will
Compliance
(mechanics) A measure of the extension or displacement of a loaded structure; its flexibility
Compliant
Willing to carry out the orders or wishes of another without protest;
Too acquiescent to challenge authority
A gentle and biddable soul
Children compliant with the parental will
Compliance
(medicine) The accuracy with which a patient follows an agreed treatment plan
Compliant
Easily influenced or imposed on
Compliance
The department of a business that ensures all government regulations are complied with.
Compliant
Evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant;
Compliant and anxious to suit his opinions of those of others
A fine fiery blast against meek conformity
She looked meek but had the heart of a lion
Was submissive and subservient
Compliance
The act of complying; a yielding; as to a desire, demand, or proposal; concession; submission.
What compliances will remove dissension?
Ready compliance with the wishes of his people.
Compliant
Suitable or in accordance.
The document is compliant with the official guidelines.
Compliance
Acting according to certain accepted standards
Compliant
Agreeable or yielding.
He was compliant in the negotiations.
Compliance
Happy friendly agreement
Compliance
A disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others
Compliance
The act of submitting; usually surrendering power to another
Compliance
A disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others.
Compliance
Flexibility.
Compliance
(uncountable) The state of being compliant.
Common Curiosities
What is the primary distinction between compliant and compliance?
Compliant is an adjective indicating willingness to conform, whereas compliance is a noun denoting the act or state of conforming to rules or standards.
Can I say a person is "in compliance"?
Yes, it means the person is adhering to a certain set of rules or standards.
Are both words used in legal contexts?
Yes. Legal documents often refer to entities being compliant with laws and regulations, and the state or act of this adherence is referred to as compliance.
Can compliance be used in everyday conversation?
Certainly! One might talk about compliance with household rules or local norms.
Is it correct to say a device is compliant?
Absolutely. This suggests the device meets certain standards or requirements.
How do compliant and compliance relate to the verb "comply"?
Compliant describes how something or someone complies, and compliance describes the state or act of complying.
Which one describes a behavior: compliant or compliance?
Compliant describes the behavior, while compliance describes the act or state resulting from that behavior.
In terms of origin, do both words come from the same root?
Yes, both derive from the verb "comply," which means to act according to a wish or command.
When discussing corporate behavior, which word should I use?
It depends on context. A corporation can be "compliant" with laws, while its behavior can be termed as "ensuring compliance."
Do both words have similar antonyms?
Typically, yes. Non-compliant is the opposite of compliant, while non-compliance opposes compliance.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
