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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elaborate
Katie Rife, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
Henna, also called mehendi or mehndi, is a South Asian art form using temporary dye paste to create elaborate designs on hands and palms.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Ben Davidson, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
The Supreme Court previously lifted Murphy’s preliminary injunction blocking the third-country deportation policy in June 2025, issuing a 6-3 unsigned order that did not elaborate on the rationale behind the majority’s decision.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elaborate
Adjective
Paired with the elaborate action choreography and Sokolov’s fondness for in-your-face direction — think slo-mos, GoPros, and other flashy touches — the result is exciting for a while.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
Henna, also called mehendi or mehndi, is a South Asian art form using temporary dye paste to create elaborate designs on hands and palms.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Luaus on Kauai tend to be smaller in scale and more intimate, ranging from local family-run affairs to elaborate theatrical shows, some set in dreamy beachside settings.
—Ben Davidson, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
The Supreme Court previously lifted Murphy’s preliminary injunction blocking the third-country deportation policy in June 2025, issuing a 6-3 unsigned order that did not elaborate on the rationale behind the majority’s decision.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elaborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elaborate
Adjective
-
Lynch allegedly told the individual how to get into the house and provided detailed information about its appearance, layout and items inside the home.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
How did researchers make such detailed observations about shark behavior?—
BRADY DENNIS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings.—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Give it a thorough shake to help redistribute the feather fill.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The exhibition opens with an intricate model of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that Palestinian craftspeople in Bethlehem made of local materials including olive and pistachio wood, mother-of-pearl and camel bone.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
What emerged was a series of intricate, heady features whose ideas often came through more clearly than their sentiments.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Trust and honor your unfolding self.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Its light, atmosphere, and people make everything seem to unfold in a more filmic, rather than literal, dimension of space and time.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Managing reputational risk is a complicated (and constant) obligation.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Pegula hit five aces and never let the match settle into anything complicated.—
Noah Gulley,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some questions may be adapted into full columns, and transcripts of the chats remain available after each session concludes.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The Stars have left the Mammoth in their dust with their recent streak, now a full 20 points ahead of Utah in the standings.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These are common but complicate long-term planning for federal agencies.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Despite differing views on a variety of security issues, the group, like Gilpatric’s, reached a clear consensus: nuclear proliferation by any additional country would diminish U.S. power, complicate strategic planning, and increase the likelihood of nuclear use, accidents, and disasters.—
MARIANO-FLORENTINO CUÉLLAR,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Wall Dancers traces how freedom and state control evolved online — a dynamic that may influence the artificial intelligence race.—
Timothy McLaughlin,
Bloomberg,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Cornyn later expounded on his evolving thoughts about the legislative filibuster.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elaborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elaborate. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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