complicated

adjective
com·​pli·​cat·​ed | \ ˈkäm-plə-ˌkā-təd How to pronounce complicated (audio) \

Definition of complicated

1 : consisting of parts intricately combined a complicated recipe complicated machinery
2 : difficult to analyze, understand, or explain a complicated issue his absurdly complicated life

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Other Words from complicated

complicatedly adverb
complicatedness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for complicated

complex, complicated, intricate, involved, knotty mean having confusingly interrelated parts. complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure. a complex recipe complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining. complicated legal procedures intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately. an intricate web of deceit involved implies extreme complication and often disorder. a rambling, involved explanation knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable. knotty ethical questions

Examples of complicated in a Sentence

The game's rules are too complicated. The machine has a complicated design.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Epstein's death makes things a bit more complicated. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Here's What Could Happen to Jeffrey Epstein's Fortune Now," 19 Aug. 2019 The answer, much like the music itself, is more complicated than even its fans tend to realize. Jon Meacham, Time, "Country Music Should Be Political. After All, It Always Has Been," 15 Aug. 2019 The First Amendment can be applied to commercial speech — though the law is a bit complicated. Kelsey Piper, Vox, "ACLU, Tofurky ask for an injunction on Arkansas’s anti-veggie burger law," 14 Aug. 2019 Hosting Miss Universe would be more complicated than Eurovision — all 41 of the participating Eurovision countries had diplomatic relations with Israel. sun-sentinel.com, "Brooklyn Jewish school installs bullet-resistant classroom doors," 13 Aug. 2019 The guidance on saturated fat is a little more complicated. SELF, "19 Healthy, High-Fat Foods to Keep You Full and Satisfied," 8 Aug. 2019 The olfactory components are much more complicated, and mostly have to do with the human's genetics, according to Rosen. Elizabeth King, Allure, "Why Mosquitos Bite Some People More Than Others," 8 Aug. 2019 But the best coping strategy may be less complicated than any of that. Anne Quito, Quartz at Work, "The crucial piece of advice TED gives to nervous speakers," 8 Aug. 2019 Read more about the project here: Getting to PDX in the next two weeks may be a bit more complicated, but TriMet is starting a shuttle service to help riders get to the airport during the closure. oregonlive.com, "Portland metro Monday traffic: Expect delays for first weekday commute of MAX construction project," 5 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'complicated.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of complicated

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for complicated

see complicate entry 2

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More Definitions for complicated

complicated

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of complicated

: hard to understand, explain, or deal with : having many parts or steps

complicated

adjective
com·​pli·​cat·​ed | \ ˈkäm-plə-ˌkā-təd How to pronounce complicated (audio) \

Kids Definition of complicated

: difficult to understand or explain complicated rules

complicated

adjective
com·​pli·​cat·​ed

Medical Definition of complicated

of a bone fracture
: characterized by injury to nearby parts

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