complicate 1 of 2

verb

ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt How to pronounce complicate (audio)
Definition of complicatenext
1
as in to complex
to make complex or difficult the need to go to both a PTA conference and condo board meeting really complicates tonight's schedule

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deepen
to make more severe asthma that has recently been complicated by a bout of bronchitis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

complicate

2 of 2

adjective

ˈkäm-pli-kət How to pronounce complicate (audio)
as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated the kind of complicate machinery that is used in the field of robotics

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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 complicate
Verb
Final Thoughts NexSnap is a reminder that taking screenshots needn't be complicated, and that a screen-capture utility should offer more than just the ability to tap PrtScn. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 Home lighting upgrades don’t need to be complicated—or expensive. — Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Fires in salt cedar can create spotting conditions and complicate suppression efforts, especially on windy days, when embers are carried ahead of containment lines, according to the department. — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 4 May 2026 Trump’s announcement, suggesting the US would police ships that have paid Iran a toll to transit the waterway, threatens to escalate naval activity and further complicate countries’ efforts to get energy from the region. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complicate
  1. intensify
  2. deepen
  3. complicated
  4. embarrass
  5. worsen
  6. intricate
  7. perplex
  8. aggravate
Verb
  • As the bust continued in Alaska, work on the base accelerated and intensified.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Inflation and tariff pressures have intensified these challenges.
    — Tejal Patel, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of intensify
Verb
  • Since seizing power, Tiani’s government has shifted away from Western partners, deepened ties with Russia and broken with the regional ECOWAS bloc, joining Mali and Burkina Faso to form the breakaway AES bloc.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • My 50s has just continued to be about trying to figure out my place in the world and deepening my friendships with my friends, my family.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepen
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
Verb
  • For example, a relative’s benign remark about the texture of a turkey dinner at a family gathering might be interpreted by someone with schizophrenia as a statement meant to embarrass them.
    — Matthew Kurtz, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
  • College students should not have to worry about their parents embarrassing them to an audience of thousands.
    — Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrass
Verb
  • Ford said in an interview published Monday that Canada should be prepared to cut off electricity exports to the United States if the trade war worsens, putting a potentially powerful weapon on the table.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • According to a recent survey published by Deloitte, consumer sentiment remains shaky, with 57% of Americans expecting the economy to worsen in the next six months — the highest figure the company has reported since 2020.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsen
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
Verb
  • Others are perplexed at the meshing of fact (Wat Tyler and the Revolt) and fiction (Robin Hood).
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As crime units and crime tape surrounded the house, neighbors who knew the officer are perplexed.
    — Anna Meiler, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • But Leclerc stayed out for several laps, aggravating Hamilton in the process.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
  • American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living which has been aggravated by the war in Iran.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggravate

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Cite this Entry

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

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