knottiness 1 of 2

knotty

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective knotty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of knotty are complex, complicated, intricate, and involved. While all these words mean "having confusingly interrelated parts," knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

When can complex be used instead of knotty?

The meanings of complex and knotty largely overlap; however, complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.

a complex recipe

When would complicated be a good substitute for knotty?

While the synonyms complicated and knotty are close in meaning, complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

When could intricate be used to replace knotty?

The words intricate and knotty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

When is involved a more appropriate choice than knotty?

The words involved and knotty can be used in similar contexts, but involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

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 knottiness
Adjective
Meanwhile, negotiators on Gaza pushed the knottiest issues to later phases of this agreement. Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025 Think knotty-pine headboards, cozy leather furniture with plaid throw pillows, and floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing stellar views of the Rockies. Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 Its moral dimensions are more straightforward than those in Jude’s previous work (and its form much simpler in kind), but only because their practical applications are that much knottier in return. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2025 Meanwhile, negotiators on Gaza pushed the knottiest issues to later phases of this agreement. Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for knottiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knottiness
Noun
  • The sheer complexity of a deal, which will take years to complete and require multiagency input, forced Trump’s first treasury secretary to shelve their sale, and experts believe the same hurdles pose significant challenges this time around, too.
    Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2025
  • The distance to exoplanets, the faintness of signals, and the complexity of atmospheres mean distinguishing between molecules that differ by just one atom is extremely challenging.
    Victoria Corless, Space.com, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • The subtle hum of intricate mechanics, the remarkably articulate gesture of a synthetic limb, the disquieting echo of human movement – humanoid robots are no longer relegated to the realm of fiction.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • An avid builder and gamer, Max loves constructing intricate creations with LEGOs and diving into videogame worlds where his creativity can roam free.
    MARE Staff, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • But the fact that Schwartzman, in his first film, was given the difficult task of stealing laughs away from a comedy legend, and so often succeeds in doing so, gives him the slight edge.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
  • Dietary fat can be difficult to digest and may cause more irritation and pain.
    Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • The result is a mosaic of broods that makes the jigsaw puzzle of periodical cicada distribution more complicated, but more interesting.
    Chris Simon, The Conversation, 22 May 2025
  • My work centers Native characters who are fully human: messy, funny, complicated.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Being a careless jackass but also irresistibly charming is a tough needle to thread.
    Staff Author Published, EW.com, 22 May 2025
  • Coastal trips After previously demonstrating that Viking vessels can handle open oceanic waters even in tough conditions, Jarrett was determined to explore their capabilities close to land and among the fjords.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • The moves challenge the traditional U.S. security role and complicate Africa's geopolitical landscape as Washington steps back.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
  • Left unmanaged, these issues can disrupt family dynamics, derail careers, deplete wealth and complicate legacy planning.
    John Samuels, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Moreover, data tokenization or de-identification allows sensitive information (like PII or health records) to be replaced with non-sensitive surrogates, reducing risk without compromising analytics.
    Shinoy Vengaramkode Bhaskaran, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • Tian also allegedly sent additional sensitive data on U.S. weapons systems.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Putting all of this highly complex system together, however, is likely to take more than three years.
    Iain Boyd, The Conversation, 22 May 2025
  • Unlike traditional car batteries, lithium-ion packs are complex, often made up of hundreds of individual cells.
    Melanie Marshall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Knottiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knottiness. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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