1
as in to complex
to make complex or difficult
the need to go to both a PTA conference and condo board meeting really complicates tonight's schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated
the kind of complicate machinery that is used in the field of robotics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 complicate
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 28 May 2026
The hyperscaler consulting arms complicate things further, since AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft both compete with and partner alongside the new firms.
—Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The shift would send states scrambling and complicate parents’ efforts to get young children vaccinated ahead of the coming respiratory virus season.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complicate
Verb
The conflict with Iran has not helped the implementation of the peace plan, complicating diplomatic relationships and dominating the attention of international partners.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 28 May 2026
The hyperscaler consulting arms complicate things further, since AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft both compete with and partner alongside the new firms.
—Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Adjective
Families today are more anchored: two-income households complicate moves, aging demographics keep older homeowners in place, and many are locked into mortgage rates under 4%, unwilling to trade up into costlier loans.
—Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The shift would send states scrambling and complicate parents’ efforts to get young children vaccinated ahead of the coming respiratory virus season.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicate
Verb
-
Since Ian, Orange County has deepened stormwater ponds in the area and repaired damaged pumps to improve flood storage and drainage before future storms.—
Greg Bennett,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
The co-op war in the heart of brownstone Brooklyn comes against a backdrop of deepening antipathy between supporters of Israel and Palestine across New York.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
That’s a lot of complicated, and at times conflicting, objectives to try to balance.—
Steven D. Reske,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
So, the story is getting more complicated because more people are telling it, but also society is dealing with new ideas around environmentalism and second-wave feminism.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said attacks on Hezbollah would intensify, potentially threatening the talks as Iran has insisted that any deal include the Lebanese militant group.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
-
Earlier, Mars square Pluto may intensify pressure between group expectations and personal boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Spikes in gas prices as well as higher food costs have worsened inflation, which has outpaced the growth in average paychecks, reducing most Americans’ purchasing power.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
-
But the department has been contending with an IDR application backlog since last year, and after months of progress, there are signs the backlog may be starting to worsen again.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The bar is 3,000 square feet in all, with muted pink pillows, intricate floral light fixtures and gold accents.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
-
Notably, Tutt made significant contributions in the design of the intricate parachute system used on NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft mission.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Then to Sydney Harbour, the very scene of that embarrassing capsize exactly a year earlier, and the Americans won the event outright for a first win since October 2023.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Some fans weighed in on his outfit choice on social media, sparking conversations about if the actor might have embarrassed his wife.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
InStyle,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
If inhaled at high levels, fumes can aggravate a person’s lungs, causing coughing, wheezing and chest tightness.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
-
Makar hasn’t played since aggravating an apparent upper-body injury in Game 5 of Colorado’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
Divers cautioned that the next phase of the mission will be extremely complex, and at the mercy of the elements.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
Even if most of that new work was beneath their pay grade, the number of complex projects also exploded.—
Rob Collie,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complicate. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
