complex 1 of 3

complex

2 of 3

noun

1
as in facility
a structure that is designed and built for a particular purpose an apartment complex

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

complex

3 of 3

verb

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complex systems
large 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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of complex
Adjective
Last year, Jarrett contributed to research suggesting the Vikings participated in more complex trading routes with Indigenous Arctic tribes than previously believed. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 May 2025 Once seen as a simple roadmap toward sustainability, this mantra now conceals a far more complex and troubling reality. Aissa Dearing, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, Dorough and his brother John Dorough have been busy with real estate development projects, having just opened a Hyatt Place property with a rooftop bar in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as well as a condominium complex, The Surf, at Cocoa Beach. Leena Tailor, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025 The developer behind the Aloe Palm Canyon complex in Palm Springs, the West Hollywood Community Housing Corp., benefited from three loans from the fund totaling more than $11 million. Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for complex
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complex
Adjective
  • My work centers Native characters who are fully human: messy, funny, complicated.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 22 May 2025
  • The result is a mosaic of broods that makes the jigsaw puzzle of periodical cicada distribution more complicated, but more interesting.
    Chris Simon, The Conversation, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • The subtle hum of intricate mechanics, the remarkably articulate gesture of a synthetic limb, the disquieting echo of human movement – humanoid robots are no longer relegated to the realm of fiction.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • An avid builder and gamer, Max loves constructing intricate creations with LEGOs and diving into videogame worlds where his creativity can roam free.
    MARE Staff, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • In 1679, the first such facility opened in London, modeled on Ottoman designs with a central cold bath, alcoves containing warm baths, and a sweating room.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 24 May 2025
  • Perhaps most notable about the agencies’ accusations is that the hackers targeted 10,000 security cameras in countries bordering Ukraine, including at border crossings, military facilities, and train stations.
    Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • Work on creating a system that not only works for you and your family, but one that everyone will be able to stick to.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 27 May 2025
  • More broadly, the authority borrowed money to build and maintain a significantly larger water storage and delivery system than is now needed.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • But Lijn’s mechanized drama is a resolutely feminist one, a face-off between two cyborgs who both conjure and complicate the archetypes of the nature goddess and the murderous woman.
    Marina Isgro, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • One is the long-running foreclosure of 57-75 Pratt St. involving Shelbourne has complicated the leasing of prominent, vacant storefronts in those buildings.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
Adjective
  • Modern manufacturing already relies on robotics, computer vision, predictive maintenance and sophisticated supply chain optimization.
    Richard Lebovitz, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • For active traders seeking sophisticated, flexible trading tools, Robinhood Legend has arrived, introducing a new way to trade.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Related: Read our SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy guide for a detailed look $47.99 at Amazon Starship Die Cast Rocket Model Now $47.99 on Amazon.
    Tariq Malik, Space.com, 23 May 2025
  • The program is free for residents, who can check their eligibility and review detailed instructions for soil collection on the department’s soil-testing program website.
    Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Through these continuous engagements, the team is gaining strategic visibility and connecting with a network of supporters who recognise the powerful intersection of sports, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and policy.
    Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • One such feature is the dark lunar maria (Latin for 'seas'), formed when molten lava flooded a network of impact basins that scarred the moon's surface billions of years ago.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complex.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complex. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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