complicating

verb

present participle of complicate
1
as in intensifying
to make complex or difficult the need to go to both a PTA conference and condo board meeting really complicates tonight's schedule

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deepening
to make more severe asthma that has recently been complicated by a bout of bronchitis

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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 complicating The Bundibugyo virus causing the current outbreak in Congo is less common than others that cause Ebola disease, which is complicating the response, because there are no specific treatments or vaccines. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 There are nine newcomers this season and six of last season’s top 12 finishers have new managers in charge, complicating the challenges that lie ahead. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, the war in the Middle East has kept oil prices elevated, squeezing consumers and complicating the inflation outlook. — Andrew Graham, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Hollywood is divided on whether the states and company should try and settle or follow through with the trial, further complicating the effort. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026 Pesticides can travel miles under windy conditions, complicating enforcement. — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 Collapsed buildings East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko said power outages hampered the spread of information about the impact of the earthquake in cities and villages, complicating search and rescue efforts. — Yacob Herin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Feral cats are skilled hunters that can also spread diseases to the rabbits, further complicating those conservation efforts. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Conventional versions can contain elastic bands, clasps, clips, foam and multiple synthetic textiles, complicating recycling and other end-of-life options. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicating
  1. intensifying
  2. deepening
  3. perplexing
  4. worsening
  5. embarrassing
  6. aggravating
  7. confusing
  8. entangling
Verb
  • Summary Major League Baseball's push for a salary cap is intensifying, fueled by recent record-breaking franchise sales.
    — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Getting ahead in the burgeoning industry could also boost China’s standing in the intensifying competition with the US on artificial intelligence and advanced technology.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of intensifying
Verb
  • Hair growth or voice deepening that appears suddenly or progresses rapidly may warrant prompt medical attention.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Google reportedly plans to move its smartphone supply chain outside of China by next year, the latest sign of a deepening tech decoupling as tensions mount between Washington and Beijing.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepening
Verb
  • Gibson Nash, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after a series of perplexing events eventually led police to his mother’s bloodied body.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • But there were also perplexing moments that punctured the gravitas of the event (even for an event built around hand-to-hand combat).
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026
Definition of perplexing
Verb
  • The Lincoln has been at sea for an extended deployment during the Iran war, which sparked concerns among lawmakers and military families after reports of the crew’s worsening mental health and conditions aboard.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • For would-be pirates in a country currently grappling with drought, worsening food insecurity, and shrinking humanitarian assistance, the economic incentives and risk-reward balance may be too tempting to pass up.
    — Aparajita Saxena, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • College students should not have to worry about their parents embarrassing them to an audience of thousands.
    — Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Many of the voters of the other political parties have been lending him their support, partly in the hope of embarrassing Farage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Verb
  • Canada had threatened to retaliate against any new tariffs with levies of its own, aggravating a trade fight between countries that sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Such filings typically chronicle the impact of a defendant's crimes, as well as his history, upbringing and other aggravating or mitigating factors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggravating
Verb
  • Evans also cautioned against confusing maximal lifespan for a healthy lifespan.
    — Lauren Chan, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson acknowledged that confusing the quarterback, like the defense appeared to do on that play, is a big part of new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s scheme.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • As Bruno departs for Venice, desire persists across oceans, entangling a Spinozist professor and rival passions.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • When that quantum task involved entangling qubits, quantum computers had an advantage over classical computers, as the classical program took ages to run.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 3 June 2026
Definition of entangling

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Cite this Entry

“Complicating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complicating. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of complicating for Spanish Speakers

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