Definition of complicationnext
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as in difficulty
something that makes a situation more complicated or difficult the food allergies of the guests were just another complication for the couple trying to plan their wedding reception

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 complication Care is mainly supportive, focusing on managing symptoms and complications. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 28 Jan. 2026 And in some cases, my plasma became part of medications that reduce pregnancy complications. Dave Oates, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2026 The film, without proving didactic, untangles the complications of finding appropriate care for someone with her cognitive disabilities, as Emily and Bob struggle with a healthcare system that isn’t set up to support people like her. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026 Her health complications involved lymphedema and fluid buildup in her lungs. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complication
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complication
Noun
  • The victims, all elementary school students, got into difficulty in a frozen pond in Bonham, a city about 60 miles northeast of Dallas, triggering a desperate effort by their mother and a neighbor to save them, FOX 4 reported.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin is in no rush to find a settlement, despite his army's difficulties on the roughly 600-mile front line.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In those participants, the disease was not associated with any changes in brain size or evidence of damage.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • During an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, Horton took the time to promote a charity seeking to raise funds for the organization Pancreatic Cancer UK, while also sharing a sweet tribute to the late Harry Potter star, who died from the disease in 2016 at age 69.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The complexity came with an upside.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • March is always madness, but this month intensifies matters as Mars activates your relationship zone (between March 2 and April 9), bringing complexities, buried desires and unspoken resentments to the surface.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • To Camarda, the heat shield problem is one symptom of a widespread ailment plaguing NASA that took root in the shuttle era.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Not all ailments are alike, naturally.
    Jamie Holmes, Twin Cities, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Pets could be impacted Additionally, products contaminated with filth, rodent excreta, and rodent urine may cause illness in the animals that consume the food or humans that are in contact with the products.
    Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Kim Wood, the NFL's first full-time strength and conditioning coach, died Tuesday after battling a brief illness.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • This is like ignoring weather conditions when flying an airplane.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Most areas in North Texas were covered in ice, sleet and snow, creating hazardous conditions.
    Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Winning tends to cure a lot of ills, and the Hornets hit the road this week with two recent home victories to their credit.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • As a result of her work with AMRs, Wise avoids framing humanoids as some sort of industrial panacea for every economic ill, from labor shortages to manufacturing bottlenecks.
    James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Ethan has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a condition that can make emotional regulation especially challenging.
    Mayo Clinic News Network, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Declined to apply for a state grant of up to $400,000 to test the use of the drug buprenorphine to combat opioid use disorder.
    Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Complication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complication. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

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