byzantine

adjective

ˈbi-zᵊn-ˌtēn How to pronounce byzantine (audio)
Definition of byzantinenext
as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated spent his first year at the Pentagon just trying to fathom its byzantine workings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 byzantine The entrenched, byzantine system for acquiring things is why the most sophisticated country in human history is at risk of no longer having the world’s most sophisticated military. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 The notion is that children are both uniquely vulnerable to trafficking or other mistreatment and incapable of navigating their way through the byzantine immigration system without legal help. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 And the hardest part is learning all the byzantine scoring and the rules and stuff. — Sean Gregory, Time, 23 July 2026 As a result, half of the states opted out despite the prospect of generous federal job-creation assistance, due to fear of America’s byzantine permitting system and an array of entrenched interests commonly referred to as Not In My Backyard (NIMBY). — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 At the same time, many owners of homes and businesses that burned down are more focused on navigating the byzantine rebuilding process and trying to sell their lots than on maintaining their properties. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 Lasdun, by contrast, insists on delivering a meticulous retelling of the Murdaugh case, complete with byzantine subplots involving the suspicious death of the family’s housekeeper and the murder of another local teenager. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 The Fresco Building takes its name from its history of having hosted two 13th-century Byzantine frescoes for 15 years, from 1997 to 2012. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2026 Following a behind-schedule and over-budget redevelopment by Transport for London, the roundabout was replaced last year with a byzantine road and cycle lane layout which, peppered with traffic lights, causes constant congestion in the area. — Ian King, CNBC, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byzantine
  1. complicated
  2. intricate
  3. complicate
  4. complex
  5. sophisticated
Adjective
  • Linney’s Guardian tries to draw out some resentment from her new candidate, but John expresses (or feigns) sympathy for Hal, who was betrayed by his father figure Sinestro, an experience John likens to his own complicated upbringing.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • She was steeped in the minutiae of a profoundly complicated culture.
    — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • The intricate leather cutouts appear across the strap across the toes and on the straps that wrap around the back of the foot.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As with software, the features that optimize for agents differ significantly from the intricate features of modern internet sites built for human use.
    — George C. Lee II, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of intricate
Adjective
  • The company very deliberately targets large enterprise customers, which have the biggest and most complicate supply chain ecosystems.
    — David Prosser, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Wilcox noted that overlaps between substance use and suicide complicate reduction efforts.
    — Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026
Definition of complicate
Adjective
  • The approach does not automatically establish the exact cause of every settlement anomaly, and underground conditions can be complex.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • To create objects with collapsibility as a core feature, Toyonaga’s team devised an analytic design algorithm allowing incremental construction of complex scissored surfaces.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of complex
Adjective
  • The Future According to Brad is chunks in shades of butterscotch, caramel, and cinnamon—sophisticated candy colors.
    — Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Chemical suppliers are developing increasingly sophisticated products, while machinery, software and process control continue to improve.
    — Alice Tonello, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of sophisticated

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Cite this Entry

“Byzantine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byzantine. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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