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

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

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 In recent years, homeowners, developers and businesses have complained that navigating the Planning Department can be complicating and confusing. — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Hypersonic weapons can operate between these regimes, potentially complicating detection and interception. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026 The strikes marked a sharp escalation in fighting between the two South Asian countries and risked further complicating international efforts to ease tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. — Munir Ahmed, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026 His appearances often attracted protests, further complicating his security. — ABC News, 25 Sep. 2026 That’s complicating an already complex business stack and forcing businesses to rethink their architecture, Fey said. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 Hollywood is stereotypically seen as an industry beloved and supported by liberal politicians, but the current push for a federal film and television tax credit is complicating that typical portrait. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026 Further complicating the picture, the hyperscalers are increasingly turning to the bond market to help finance their enormous costs. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 For some, your work and public image could collide with other personal desires, potentially complicating the vibe. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicating
  1. intensifying
  2. deepening
  3. perplexing
  4. worsening
  5. embarrassing
  6. aggravating
  7. confusing
  8. entangling
Verb
  • Currently, the interplay of elevated interest rates and high oil prices is intensifying risk aversion across global markets, suggesting capital outflow pressure on emerging market bonds could persist for some time.
    — , CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The meeting was held during the United Nations General Assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders, as an intensifying aerial war between Russia and Ukraine showed no sign of slowing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of intensifying
Verb
  • London — The United States and China have agreed to slash tariffs on $60 billion worth of goods, deepening efforts to stabilize a frequently testy relationship.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Settler attacks damaged or seized about 160 Palestinian water and sanitation structures this year, deepening shortages that are forcing farmers to abandon fields and threatening local livelihoods.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 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
  • Police have not revealed a motive for the attack, but court records exposed months of discord that appeared to be worsening.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The case accused school officials of unreasonably exposing McNair to the risk of heatstroke, failing to recognize the initial symptoms and inadequately providing medical care and treatment, thus worsening McNair’s condition.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • Things escalate as the two share a car ride home from a fancy gala and the bad man yells at her for embarrassing him.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Neither party acted on it; Republicans wanted to avoid embarrassing Trump, while Democrats wanted to avoid embarrassing Nancy Pelosi, whose husband is an active trader.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of embarrassing
Verb
  • With Williams dealing with an injury that’s always tricky for players in this league, there’s no reason to rush him back and risk aggravating it again.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Rushing received platelet-rich plasma injection after aggravating the flexor injury a second time while working through a throwing program at the beginning of the month.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of aggravating
Verb
  • The common mistake is confusing behavioral information with behavioral intelligence.
    — Dr. Jay R. Harrison, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • No doubt, Gucci Morty is confusing teachers who are receiving similar responses from their students.
    — Owen Carry, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of confusing
Verb
  • Conservatives shuddered to think how close the country had come to permanent entangling alliances.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • By entangling 30 logical qubits in a single, coherent quantum state, Infleqtion has validated the core architecture of its Sqale hardware and Superstaq software, on its roadmap to deliver 100 logical qubits by 2028.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of entangling

Browse Nearby Words

complicates
complicating
complication
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Cite this Entry

“Complicating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complicating. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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