Synonyms of elaborate

elaborate 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈla-b(ə-)rət 

1

as in detailed

made or done with great care or with much detail

elaborate festivities for the 200th anniversary of the town's founding

Synonyms & Similar Words

• detailed
• intricate
• complicated
• elegant
• complex
• sophisticated
• fancy
• involved
• exquisite
• ornate
• magnificent
• extravagant
• splendid
• showy
• grandiose
• Byzantine
• convoluted
• grand
• exuberant
• flamboyant
• ostentatious
• frilly
• overwrought
• labyrinthine
• fancified
• souped-up
• involuted
• chichi
• labyrinthian
• involute
• gimmicked (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simple
• unsophisticated
• modest
• plain
• uncomplicated
• no-frills
• unfancy
• unadorned
• naked
• bare
• bald
• unvarnished
• plain-vanilla
• undecorated
• plain-Jane

2

as in thorough

including many small descriptive features

the elaborate world known as Middle Earth that J.R.R. Tolkien created in his richly imagined novels

Synonyms & Similar Words

• detailed
• thorough
• full
• comprehensive
• particular
• descriptive
• particularized
• circumstantial
• accurate
• specific
• complete
• minute
• entire
• blow-by-blow
• graphic
• vivid
• precise
• explicit
• itemized
• panoramic
• copious
• exhaustive
• enumerated
• abundant
• distinct
• specified
• encyclopedic
• inclusive
• listed
• correct
• thoroughgoing
• exhausting
• exact
• picturesque
• in-depth
• numerated
• delineated
• replete
• omnibus
• inventoried
• inclusionary
• mapped (out)
• sharp

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• summary
• brief
• short
• compendious
• concise
• succinct
• pithy
• compact
• terse
• abbreviated
• vague
• crisp
• ambiguous
• cut
• trimmed
• curtailed
• sketchy
• abridged
• general
• shortened
• nebulous
• indeterminate
• pruned
• nondescript
• broad
• nonspecific
• unspecified
• overall
• bird's-eye

3

as in intricate

having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated

plans for a huge mall that will actually be an elaborate center for sports, entertainment, and shopping

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intricate
• complicated
• complicate
• complex
• sophisticated
• convoluted
• tangled
• labyrinthine
• involved
• baroque
• byzantine
• knotty
• difficult
• varied
• labyrinthian
• involute
• daedal
• mixed
• multifaceted
• composite
• multifarious
• heterogeneous
• challenging
• overcomplicated
• compound
• overcomplex
• inexplicable
• tough
• incomprehensible
• unintelligible
• multipart
• unfathomable
• multibranched
• impenetrable
• Kafkaesque

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simple
• plain
• uncomplicated
• simplistic
• simplified
• noncomplex
• uniform
• noncomplicated
• homogeneous
• oversimplified
• unvaried

elaborate

2 of 2

verb

i-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt 

as in to unfold

to gradually become clearer or more detailed

as mankind's understanding of the universe has elaborated

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unfold
• evolve
• progress
• develop
• proceed
• grow
• emerge
• mature
• get along
• get on
• march
• advance
• forge
• fare
• blossom
• materialize
• play out
• ripen

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of elaborate

Adjective

As Pashkov held her up by one of her legs, Karagach quickly and seamlessly unstrapped the shoe from her ankle, dropped it on the floor and continued their elaborate routine as if nothing happened. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026

Their hairdos are almost identical as well, even if Dany’s is more elaborate. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026

Verb

Neither Swift nor Kelce have publicly confirmed any reports or elaborated on their wedding plans. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026

Contreras did not speak to the media before Wednesday’s game and did not elaborate on the incident Tuesday night. — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 1 July 2026

Phrases Containing elaborate

• elaborate (on)