COMPLICATING Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

complicating

verb

present participle of complicate

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deepening

to make more severe asthma that has recently been complicated by a bout of bronchitis

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 complicating The only factor complicating a further invasion would be the political cost at home. —

Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026 Differences in how often vaccinated people versus unvaccinated people visit health care professionals are a common complicating factor that affects vaccine studies, explains Niemi Eide. —

Tara Haelle, NPR, 25 Mar. 2026 Democrat policies of combining open borders, issuing driver’s licenses to nearly everyone who enters the country in certain states, and complicating voter registration through motor-voter laws have created toxic voter rolls in those jurisdictions. —

Special To The Sun-Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026 The snow drought is complicating that work. —

Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 The war with Iran is sending energy prices soaring, raising concerns about inflation and complicating the outlook for central banks across the globe. —

John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 The Persian Gulf conflict threatens to reignite inflation while slowing growth, further complicating the Fed’s work. —

Andrew Ackerman, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2026 The virtual shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is unnerving the world economy, driving up energy and fertilizer prices, threatening food shortages in poor countries, destabilizing fragile states and complicating efforts by central banks to drive down prices for consumers. —

Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026 When the hiker set out, temperatures were around 66°F, but by the time crews reached him, conditions had plummeted to 26°F with snow falling and a light layer blanketing the ground, complicating efforts for both the hiker and the rescuers. —

Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicating

Verb

Comparisons to the build-up to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis are now intensifying as concerns over underlying loan quality grow.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
Climate change is intensifying Hawaii’s Kona low storms, leaving forecasters scrambling as their models struggle to predict moisture retention in these systems.

— Audrey McAvoy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026