complicated

adjective

com·​pli·​cat·​ed ˈkäm-plə-ˌkā-təd 

1

: consisting of parts intricately combined

a complicated recipe

complicated machinery

2

: difficult to analyze, understand, or explain

a complicated issue

his absurdly complicated life

complicatedly adverb

complicatedness noun

Synonyms of complicated

• complicate
• intricate
• complex
• sophisticated

Choose the Right Synonym for complicated

complex, complicated, intricate, involved, knotty mean having confusingly interrelated parts.

complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.

a complex recipe

complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

Examples of complicated in a Sentence

The game's rules are too complicated.

The machine has a complicated design.

Recent Examples on the Web

The flare suggests there are unknown populations of giant stars near the centers of large galaxies, which also host supermassive black holes — and sheds light on the complicated interactions between two behemoths. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

What unites them is Dern’s ability to find the humanity in characters navigating life’s most complicated terrain. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025

Difficult Amazon logistics is no excuse Another challenge to vaccinating indigenous groups is the complicated logistics of getting shots to their territories, which are often isolated and hard to reach. —Adriana Brasileiro, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025

Robert will need to complete series of increasingly complicated hacks to help keep her alive and locate the power source that everyone is now after. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of complicate entry 1

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for complicated

• abdicated
• abrogated
• acclimated
• activated
• actuated
• adumbrated
• advocated
• aggravated
• aggregated
• agitated
• allocated
• alternated

Kids Definition

complicated

adjective

com·​pli·​cat·​ed ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt-əd 

1

: consisting of many combined parts

complicated machinery

2

: difficult to analyze, understand, or explain : complex

complicatedly adverb

complicatedness noun

Medical Definition

complicated

adjective

com·​pli·​cat·​ed

of a bone fracture

: characterized by injury to nearby parts