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
California is infamous for its unfriendly business climate, with byzantine regulations and an agonizingly slow permitting system.
—
Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
That’s because of the byzantine rules for local tax measures.
—Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Whereas 30-year-olds are already supposedly lost to the byzantine ways of workplace bureaucracies, those a decade their junior are blank slates.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
Frogposting, then, pits the intractably byzantine, soulless and cutthroat nature of the contemporary economy in a simple binary against what the posters envision as the green, healthy, naturalness of the Earth—framed as a joke, the base unit of online commentary.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Though famously byzantine, these processes were created to ensure local control over development decisions.
—Nicole West Bassoff, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025
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
One upshot of the menu’s byzantine sprawl is that every visit offers something new to discover.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 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
Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
That’s because of the byzantine rules for local tax measures.
—Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
Whereas 30-year-olds are already supposedly lost to the byzantine ways of workplace bureaucracies, those a decade their junior are blank slates.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
Frogposting, then, pits the intractably byzantine, soulless and cutthroat nature of the contemporary economy in a simple binary against what the posters envision as the green, healthy, naturalness of the Earth—framed as a joke, the base unit of online commentary.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Though famously byzantine, these processes were created to ensure local control over development decisions.
—Nicole West Bassoff, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025
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
One upshot of the menu’s byzantine sprawl is that every visit offers something new to discover.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 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
-
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat, as the director-general of the board meant to oversee the implementation of the second and far more complicated phase of the ceasefire.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
If simple, prefabricated asymmetric carbon fibers can act as tiny actuators, engineers may not need complicated coatings or redesigns to build micro-scale devices.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Fiddle-leaf figs, with their bold, rounded leaves, pair beautifully with round motifs, while palms, with their slender, whispery fronds, are perfect for accenting more delicate or intricate prints.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Almost as soon as it’s completed, this intricate system becomes invisible forever when the foundation and then the building itself are placed over it, leaving no room for errors.—
Vanessa Bates Ramirez,
Scientific American,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
These are common but complicate long-term planning for federal agencies.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
-
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
-
The unusual building is even more complex and fascinating when viewed up close, so take time to walk all the way around it.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Beyond stellar evolution, the computational techniques developed for the study could help researchers model complex flows in oceans, atmospheres, and even blood circulation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Wine bar Counter Reformation is one of town’s top spots for a pour and sophisticated small plates.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
While the weight and material of the set is noteworthy, the beautiful matelassé-style pattern—complete with floral motifs and geometric designs—adds a sophisticated touch to any space.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Byzantine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byzantine. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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