complicate matters
idiom
: to make a situation more complicated
To (further) complicate matters, they both have the same name.
Examples of complicate matters in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Foreign actors may complicate matters.
—
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
To complicate matters, Talese didn’t feel like writing about Sinatra, preferring non-celebrity subjects, while Sinatra, hampered by post-nasal drip, didn’t feel like talking to Talese.
—Mark Rozzo, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Three powerful billionaires will also complicate matters.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
These coexisting protections can complicate matters, however.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complicate matters
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Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
To complicate matters, Talese didn’t feel like writing about Sinatra, preferring non-celebrity subjects, while Sinatra, hampered by post-nasal drip, didn’t feel like talking to Talese.
—Mark Rozzo, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Three powerful billionaires will also complicate matters.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
These coexisting protections can complicate matters, however.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complicate matters
Cite this Entry
“Complicate matters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complicate%20matters. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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