Synonyms of complication

complication

noun

ˌkäm-plə-ˈkā-shən 

1

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

• difficulty
• complexity
• headache
• intricacy
• convolution
• complicacy
• matter
• ramification
• trouble
• fly in the ointment
• side effect
• annoyance
• subtlety
• aftereffect
• inconvenience
• technicality
• bitch
• bother

2

as in disease

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning

complications set in after the surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disease
• ailment
• illness
• condition
• ill
• disorder
• fever
• sickness
• bug
• infection
• attack
• malady
• trouble
• infirmity
• complaint
• ail
• distemper
• plague
• affection
• distemperature
• contagion
• contagious disease
• unsoundness
• lameness
• debility
• bout
• feebleness
• epidemic
• weakness
• matter
• spell
• malaise
• unhealthiness
• sickliness
• decrepitude
• contagium
• pestilence
• unwellness
• fit
• pip
• frailness
• pest

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• health
• wellness
• robustness
• soundness
• fitness
• wholeness
• wholesomeness
• shape
• heartiness
• healthiness
• fettle

3

as in complexity

the state or quality of having many interrelated parts or aspects

a problem of such irreducible complication as to defy any easy solution

Synonyms & Similar Words

• complexity
• complexness
• sophistication
• involution
• elaborateness
• complicatedness
• intricacy
• heterogeneity
• knottiness
• complicacy
• intricateness
• multifariousness
• diversity
• inexplicability
• incomprehensibility
• impenetrability
• heterogeneousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simplicity
• simplification
• uniformity
• plainness
• simpleness
• homogeneity

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of complication

One of the biggest concerns is that someone with an incidental finding may then have follow-up computed tomography scans, as well as ionizing radiation and biopsy complications, searching for something that never would have caused symptoms. — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Inside is like a mini-urgent care facility, equipped to treat everything from minor injuries to serious complications. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Research suggests prolonged exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy may increase the risk of certain complications. — ABC News, 1 July 2026

As such, Volvo’s dealer network is an obvious fallback to handle Polestar service or even helping to sell the remaining inventory, but even that is fraught with complications. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 1 July 2026