as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated
spent his first year at the Pentagon just trying to fathom its byzantine workings
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Recent Examples of byzantine
Many people who navigated America’s byzantine immigration and citizenship process for years were also angry at the perception that legal status was being bestowed effortlessly on entirely new groups of people.
—
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Finds Connecting Britain to the World Royal burials like that at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, and Prittlewell, Essex, contained objects from far afield, including Byzantine silver bowls and a jug from the eastern Mediterranean.
—Duncan Sayer, JSTOR Daily, 2 Oct. 2025
There are several key sites to explore, like Le Castella, an imposing Medieval fortress on the sea; Santa Severina’s Byzantine architecture and Norman Castle; and Capo Colonna Archaeological Park, known for its Greek and Roman temples and ruins.
—Gary Portuesi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2025
Similar underground storage pits and cisterns are beneath the Church of the Annunciation, among ruins traditionally identified, since the Byzantine period, as Mary’s house.
—Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
The Byzantine era began in the early or late 300s, and ended in 1453 with the invasion of Constantinople by the Ottomans.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
One upshot of the menu’s byzantine sprawl is that every visit offers something new to discover.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
The Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido, a 1908 Moorish fantasy commissioned by entrepreneur Nicolò Spada, boasts Byzantine domes and an eclectic façade that have sheltered everyone from Winston Churchill to Erroll Flynn, from Greta Garbo to Clark Gable.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Congress had enacted byzantine eligibility requirements for disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits, forcing the agency to expend huge amounts of time and money running those programs.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Finds Connecting Britain to the World Royal burials like that at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, and Prittlewell, Essex, contained objects from far afield, including Byzantine silver bowls and a jug from the eastern Mediterranean.
—Duncan Sayer, JSTOR Daily, 2 Oct. 2025
There are several key sites to explore, like Le Castella, an imposing Medieval fortress on the sea; Santa Severina’s Byzantine architecture and Norman Castle; and Capo Colonna Archaeological Park, known for its Greek and Roman temples and ruins.
—Gary Portuesi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2025
Similar underground storage pits and cisterns are beneath the Church of the Annunciation, among ruins traditionally identified, since the Byzantine period, as Mary’s house.
—Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
The Byzantine era began in the early or late 300s, and ended in 1453 with the invasion of Constantinople by the Ottomans.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
One upshot of the menu’s byzantine sprawl is that every visit offers something new to discover.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
The Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido, a 1908 Moorish fantasy commissioned by entrepreneur Nicolò Spada, boasts Byzantine domes and an eclectic façade that have sheltered everyone from Winston Churchill to Erroll Flynn, from Greta Garbo to Clark Gable.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Congress had enacted byzantine eligibility requirements for disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits, forcing the agency to expend huge amounts of time and money running those programs.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byzantine
Adjective
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So rather than shy away from complicated female roles, Falco embraces them.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
-
If an app is too complicated, people won’t use it.—
Rebecca Lazar,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As some of nature’s most impressive architects, spiders construct intricate webs—some of which even glow under UV light—using various silk types.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
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Detailed Furniture While most grandmother's homes are filled with old furniture, there's value in the pieces that have intricate detailing and the ability to have a second life with a new owner.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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These are common but complicate long-term planning for federal agencies.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Despite differing views on a variety of security issues, the group, like Gilpatric’s, reached a clear consensus: nuclear proliferation by any additional country would diminish U.S. power, complicate strategic planning, and increase the likelihood of nuclear use, accidents, and disasters.—
MARIANO-FLORENTINO CUÉLLAR,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Their program ties equipment, remote oversight, and training into one plan so teams can treat complex cases close to home.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
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Reportedly, the company intends to reuse the fundamental robotic core — which houses the complex multimodal interaction and motion-control technology — to create a diverse range of new figures.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But in 2013, with the availability of more sophisticated tools for fossil analysis, Archer wondered if further examination of that bone might uncover clues that had been overlooked previously.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
-
In one of the multi-hyphenate's most recent posts, Paltrow shared a glimpse of her new clothing line, tagging the brand Gwyn in her caption and wearing a sophisticated, tan cashmere sweater that immediately caught our eye.—
Melony Forcier,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Byzantine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byzantine. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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