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
Relevance
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
1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details
my friend tends to elaborate on his hiking experiences, turning an ordinary walk in the woods into a hair-raising adventure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to develop
to express more fully and in greater detail
the candidate for governor refused to elaborate on how she would balance the state's budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elaborate
Eliana Dockterman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
The ride will achieve its 72 mph by using 4,100 feet of elaborate track that begins in the upper level of the park across from the entrance to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the area that previously hosted Universal Hollywood’s special effects and animal shows.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 8 Oct. 2025
These genius display ideas, from simple to elaborate, will make your Halloween yard the envy of the neighborhood.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elaborate
Adjective
The spectacle, which opens with flashing lights and deafening music, sets up an elaborate origin story for Vecna and ties into the final season.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
The ride will achieve its 72 mph by using 4,100 feet of elaborate track that begins in the upper level of the park across from the entrance to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the area that previously hosted Universal Hollywood’s special effects and animal shows.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
His attorney declined to elaborate on next steps.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 8 Oct. 2025
These genius display ideas, from simple to elaborate, will make your Halloween yard the envy of the neighborhood.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elaborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elaborate
Adjective
-
By carefully analyzing the subtle interactions of these signals, the technology can generate a highly detailed and accurate representation of a person’s presence, posture, and movement that is comparable to a camera snapshot, but constructed entirely from radio waves.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Whereas criminal suspects in this past may have been incriminated by a Google query on, say, how to clean up bloodstains, a more comprehensive, detailed back-and-forth with a tool like ChatGPT gives investigators far more opportunities to prove intent and mindset, Lee explains.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Ability to manage growth in a manner that reflects the reasons people find Matthews attractive, create a budget that is thorough and efficient, ability to work with citizens and town leaders to maintain Matthews’ sense of self.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Oct. 2025
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The dealmaking process has been thorough and lengthy, with the 27-member trade bloc and the largest nation in South Asia having met 14 times for negotiations, the last being in Brussels last week.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Defensive struggles are all connected, because football is beautifully intricate like that, but the secondary is a problem.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Shortly after its dawn, dresses produced by Paris’ leading fashion houses, such as Poiret, Chanel and Lanvin, were envisaged with the same geometric, linear designs and intricate decorations that were characteristic of the revolutionary movement.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
One of Puth’s greatest talents is constructing songs that sound simple but are powered by dynamic chord switches and deceptively complicated harmonies.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Jets' situation is a little more complicated than that Detroit team.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Our hearts are extra full this week 🥰 #DedicationNight featuring our stars’ special guests is TONIGHT - 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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Keep reading for a full recap from week 5 of Dancing with the Stars.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
These are common but complicate long-term planning for federal agencies.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 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
Adjective
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With natural, biodegradable, and inexpensive components, such batteries could one day provide an eco-friendly alternative for powering homes or small devices without relying on toxic metals or complex supply chains.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
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The full and final details of what would be a very complex operation for tax and legal reasons are still being worked out, sources said.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Just as sophisticated as Hamas, which built hundreds of miles of underground tunnels as part of its preparations for war with Israel?—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
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Spanning the entire 54th floor of the sinuous Echo Brickell is one such mansion in the sky, this one a sophisticated assemblage of high-quality finishes and bold design.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elaborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elaborate. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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