Synonyms of complex

complex 1 of 3

adjective

käm-ˈpleks 

1

as in complicated

having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated

this medical device is a complex instrument that requires careful handling

complex issues regarding free speech and school discipline

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in intricate

made or done with great care or with much detail

a complex plan for evacuating the city in the event of a natural disaster

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intricate
• detailed
• complicated
• elegant
• elaborate
• sophisticated
• involved
• fancy
• exquisite
• magnificent
• ornate
• extravagant
• splendid
• convoluted
• Byzantine
• grandiose
• showy
• exuberant
• grand
• labyrinthine
• overwrought
• flamboyant
• frilly
• ostentatious
• labyrinthian
• involuted
• fancified
• souped-up
• involute
• chichi
• gimmicked (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simple
• unsophisticated
• uncomplicated
• modest
• plain
• no-frills
• unfancy
• naked
• unadorned
• bare
• bald
• plain-vanilla
• unvarnished
• undecorated
• plain-Jane

complex

2 of 3

noun

ˈkäm-ˌpleks 

1

as in facility

a structure that is designed and built for a particular purpose

an apartment complex

Synonyms & Similar Words

• facility
• building
• installation
• establishment
• institution
• edifice
• institute
• concern
• company
• business
• outfit

2

as in system

something made up of many interdependent or related parts

a complex of government programs designed to assist the needy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• system
• network
• series
• whole
• conglomerate
• web
• totality
• aggregate
• mesh
• interlacement
• plexus
• meshwork
• sequence
• net
• supersystem

complex

3 of 3

verb

käm-ˈpleks 

as in to complicate

to make complex or difficult

there's no need to complex what should be a simple process for obtaining a building permit

Synonyms & Similar Words

• complicate
• elaborate
• complexify
• intensify
• perplex
• embarrass
• sophisticate
• entangle
• confuse
• expand
• develop
• muddle
• tangle
• mix (up)
• snarl
• confound
• magnify
• mess (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simplify
• streamline
• facilitate
• cut
• shorten
• ease
• unravel
• straighten (out)
• abbreviate
• disentangle
• untangle
• oversimplify

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complex systems

large systems

sophisticated systems

large-scale systems

hard systems

advanced systems

complex problems

intricate problems

tough problems

sophistical problems

convoluted problems

confusing problems

a complex structure

a difficult structure

a complicated structure

a detailed structure

a large structure

an elaborate structure

complex interactions

sophisticated interactions

detailed interactions

deep interactions

multiple interactions

several interactions

a complex process

a hard process

a long process

a massive process

an involved process

a huge process

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective complex differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of complex are complicated, intricate, involved, and knotty. While all these words 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

When is complicated a more appropriate choice than complex?

While the synonyms complicated and complex are close in meaning, complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

When might intricate be a better fit than complex?

The synonyms intricate and complex are sometimes interchangeable, but intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

When is it sensible to use involved instead of complex?

Although the words involved and complex have much in common, involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

When would knotty be a good substitute for complex?

While in some cases nearly identical to complex, knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of complex

Adjective

When the tour hit Newcastle, England, a week later, the primitive analog tape machine the band used to play the complex Quadrophenia songs malfunctioned. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025

The humor in Mafalda toggles from complex wordplay to visual humor to political allegory. —Alex Dueben july 21, Literary Hub, 21 July 2025

Noun

Peru's forward #22 Mia Obando kicks the ball during the Women's Copa America 2025 football match between Peru and Ecuador at the Independiente del Valle complex in Quito on July 15, 2025. —Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025

The four-story complex will have a mix of one- and two-bedroom units that are income-restricted for people earning at or below various levels of the Austin-area's median household income. —Austin American Statesman, 17 July 2025