English Reference

Word

supplementation

Phoneticssup·ple·men·ta·tion

UK/sˌʌplɪməntˈeɪʃən/

Definition

n. the act of adding something to a diet or a system to make it complete or more effective. You use this when you take extra vitamins or add more staff to a team.

n. the process of adding a substance to a diet, system, or structure to improve its quality or completeness. Often refers to the addition of nutrients to food or the addition of staff to a workforce.

Examples

“The doctor recommended vitamin supplementation during the winter months.”

“The company's recent supplementation of the engineering team allowed them to finish the project two weeks ahead of schedule.”

“While natural food sources remain the primary goal of a balanced diet, the supplementation of essential fatty acids is often necessary to meet the specific requirements of high-performance athletes.”

Examples

simple

“The doctor recommended vitamin supplementation during the winter months.”

contextual

“The company's recent supplementation of the engineering team allowed them to finish the project two weeks ahead of schedule.”

complex

“While natural food sources remain the primary goal of a balanced diet, the supplementation of essential fatty acids is often necessary to meet the specific requirements of high-performance athletes.”

Real-World Examples

“In an earlier FAPESP-supported study published in Scientific Reports , researchers found that omega-3 supplementation reduced inflammation and bone loss associated with periodontal disease in rats.”
ScienceDaily · 30 Aug 2026
“It helps muscle produce quick energy during short bursts of intense activity, and supplementation can improve strength when combined with resistance training .”
The Conversation · 18 Aug 2026

Word family

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference