Synonyms of complicate

complicate 1 of 2

verb

ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt 

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in to deepen

to make more severe

asthma that has recently been complicated by a bout of bronchitis

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deepen
• worsen
• aggravate
• intensify
• exacerbate
• amplify
• magnify

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• help
• alleviate
• mitigate
• relieve
• ease
• improve
• better
• allay
• assuage
• ameliorate

complicate

2 of 2

adjective

ˈkäm-pli-kət 

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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of complicate

Verb

Mother Nature complicates the equation further because the same vineyard can yield different amounts of grapes each year. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

Some have been Ukrainian drones knocked off course by Russian electronic warfare, such as the jamming of navigation signals, which can make their flight paths unpredictable and complicate decisions about whether and where to shoot them down. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Fires in salt cedar can create spotting conditions and complicate suppression efforts, especially on windy days, when embers are carried ahead of containment lines, according to the department. — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 4 May 2026

Trump’s announcement, suggesting the US would police ships that have paid Iran a toll to transit the waterway, threatens to escalate naval activity and further complicate countries’ efforts to get energy from the region. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 12 Apr. 2026