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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of complicating
Brontë’s genius lies in complicating hate and love, in passing burdens across generations.
—
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Further complicating things were that the fastball-slider combo essentially stayed on the same plane, mostly up in the strike zone.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Further complicating the mustelids’ lexical family tree, the Haida ermine, found on islands off the Pacific Northwest coast, was also once considered a subspecies of the common stoat, but is now recognized as its own species.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
For both passengers and crews, El Paso's location is a further complicating factor.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Taipei has been working to secure cheaper, more numerous unmanned systems that are key to complicating any potential Chinese attack.
—Reuters, Oklahoman, 6 Feb. 2026
The bulletin also says these are often chosen for their accessibility and their ability to mimic natural illness, complicating detection and investigation.
—Emma Bussey , Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The synagogue had previously filed an insurance claim about hail damage to its roof, complicating the fire claim process.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
But a longtime party member now running as an independent is complicating those plans.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 4 Feb. 2026
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Further complicating things were that the fastball-slider combo essentially stayed on the same plane, mostly up in the strike zone.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
Further complicating the mustelids’ lexical family tree, the Haida ermine, found on islands off the Pacific Northwest coast, was also once considered a subspecies of the common stoat, but is now recognized as its own species.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
For both passengers and crews, El Paso's location is a further complicating factor.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Taipei has been working to secure cheaper, more numerous unmanned systems that are key to complicating any potential Chinese attack.
—Reuters, Oklahoman, 6 Feb. 2026
The bulletin also says these are often chosen for their accessibility and their ability to mimic natural illness, complicating detection and investigation.
—Emma Bussey , Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The synagogue had previously filed an insurance claim about hail damage to its roof, complicating the fire claim process.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
But a longtime party member now running as an independent is complicating those plans.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicating
Verb
-
This causes the outer layers of the star to expand and cool, evolving into a red giant, while the interior of the core heats up, intensifying the rate of fusion within it.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Frydnes acknowledged that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to individuals facing persecution can carry risks, potentially intensifying pressure against them.—
Jomana Karadsheh,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Moving forward, Sourisse sees the business deepening its roots in Asia, citing Southeast Asia’s Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, and East Asia’s China, Japan and South Korea as markets to watch.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
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As a catalyst, the analyst wrote that SoFi is building a durable, multi-year compounding business by deepening primary customer relationships that drive higher lifetime value, lower acquisition costs and broader cross-selling.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s perplexing to Alvarez and Oakley, given that Cal State tuition is still relatively low, despite recent annual tuition hikes.—
Cal Matters,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
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The disjunction between the abstract composition and the notion of self-portraiture appeared perplexing in its own right; its inoperability only exacerbated the viewer’s frustration and redoubled the artist’s impish provocation.—
Ara H. Merjian,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gripped by a worsening economic crisis, Cuba’s government recently adopted rationing measures to protect essential services and ration fuel supplies for key sectors.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
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The five preceding episodes depicted Louie’s worsening health, with Harden keeping a dignified smile on Louie’s face but also moving a little slower and admitting to more pain.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One day, Will goes viral after embarrassing ROAR league MVP, Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre), during a streetball challenge, prompting his favorite team, the Vineland Thorns, to sign him to a season-ending contract in a desperate attempt to juice ticket sales.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
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And then Thaddeus’s arm falls off, embarrassing his companions.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Daniel Gafford had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks despite aggravating a right ankle injury that has sidelined him for 16 games this season.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
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After attempting to play through the discomfort, the Nets elected to hold him out to allow the calf to heal fully rather than risk aggravating the injury.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Germany's exact medal count is a point of contention because Germany has not always competed in each Olympics as a unified country, which can lead to confusing medal counts.—
Aliza Chasan,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
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For many, tax season can be a confusing and stressful time with lingering deadlines and confusing tax forms.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yet the same fisheries that drive economic value also generate high levels of bycatch, entangling marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, and sharks in their operations.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office is set to begin training deputies on the Grappler system, a pursuit intervention device that disables a suspect's vehicle by entangling its tires rather than forcing a crash.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complicating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complicating. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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