complexity

noun

com·​plex·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplek-sə-tē How to pronounce complexity (audio)
käm-
plural complexities
Synonyms of complexitynext
1
: something complex
the complexities of the murder trial
2
: the quality or state of being complex
the complexity of the contract

Examples of complexity in a Sentence

He was impressed by the complexity of the music. The diagram illustrates the complexity of the cell's structure. He doesn't grasp the complexity of the situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Oracles are by their nature enigmatic, obscure, gnomic, a mode that the aleatory perambulations of the Eureka engine would seem predisposed toward producing, but narrative also has a venerable tradition of being mechanically generated, despite the seeming complexity of plot. Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026 If adopted, the bylaw amendment would give shareholders a decisive voice over WBD’s restructuring—and inject a new layer of complexity into any potential sale. Corey Martin, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Depardon’s typically non-interventionist approach is especially sensitive to the nuances and complexities of the patient/doctor relationship (and the fundamental trust upon which it is predicated), which Depardon himself regarded as this indelible documentary’s central subject. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026 In the process, the film evokes a basic tension in the history of cinema: the eternal directorial struggle to turn cumbersome equipment, organizational complexity, and the sheer fact of collaboration into a form of personal expression. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complexity

Word History

Etymology

complex entry 2 + -ity, perhaps after French complexité

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of complexity was in 1661

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Complexity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complexity. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

complexity

noun
com·​plex·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplek-sət-ē How to pronounce complexity (audio)
käm-
plural complexities
1
: something complex
the complexities of the English language
2
: the quality or state of being complex

More from Merriam-Webster on complexity

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