Synonyms of byzantine

byzantine

adjective

ˈbi-zᵊn-ˌtēn 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• complicated
• intricate
• complicate
• complex
• sophisticated
• convoluted
• labyrinthine
• tangled
• baroque
• elaborate
• labyrinthian
• knotty
• involved
• difficult
• daedal
• varied
• involute
• multifarious
• heterogeneous
• multifaceted
• mixed
• challenging
• composite
• incomprehensible
• overcomplicated
• overcomplex
• compound
• inexplicable
• unintelligible
• tough
• unfathomable
• multipart
• multibranched
• impenetrable
• Kafkaesque

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simple
• plain
• uncomplicated
• simplistic
• simplified
• noncomplex
• homogeneous
• uniform
• noncomplicated
• oversimplified
• unvaried

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of byzantine

The entrenched, byzantine system for acquiring things is why the most sophisticated country in human history is at risk of no longer having the world’s most sophisticated military. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

The notion is that children are both uniquely vulnerable to trafficking or other mistreatment and incapable of navigating their way through the byzantine immigration system without legal help. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026

And the hardest part is learning all the byzantine scoring and the rules and stuff. — Sean Gregory, Time, 23 July 2026

As a result, half of the states opted out despite the prospect of generous federal job-creation assistance, due to fear of America’s byzantine permitting system and an array of entrenched interests commonly referred to as Not In My Backyard (NIMBY). — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

At the same time, many owners of homes and businesses that burned down are more focused on navigating the byzantine rebuilding process and trying to sell their lots than on maintaining their properties. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Lasdun, by contrast, insists on delivering a meticulous retelling of the Murdaugh case, complete with byzantine subplots involving the suspicious death of the family’s housekeeper and the murder of another local teenager. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026

The Fresco Building takes its name from its history of having hosted two 13th-century Byzantine frescoes for 15 years, from 1997 to 2012. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2026

Following a behind-schedule and over-budget redevelopment by Transport for London, the roundabout was replaced last year with a byzantine road and cycle lane layout which, peppered with traffic lights, causes constant congestion in the area. — Ian King, CNBC, 10 June 2026

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