COMPLICATION Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

complication

noun

ˌkäm-plə-ˈkā-shən

Definition of complication

as in difficulty

something that makes a situation more complicated or difficult the food allergies of the guests were just another complication for the couple trying to plan their wedding reception

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Relevance

as in disease

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning complications set in after the surgery

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in complexity

the state or quality of having many interrelated parts or aspects a problem of such irreducible complication as to defy any easy solution

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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 complication Ultimately, both pay off, but not without some complications and not until the last second. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 That led to mounting health complications for Monroe, including serious pneumonia from a lung infection. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026 Measles infections acquired during pregnancy can cause complications to both the pregnant person and the fetus, according to the Mayo Clinic, including pregnancy loss, fetal death or complications with fetal development. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Despite those complications, the French panelists made clear that their appetite for Nordic material is growing. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complication

Recent Examples of Synonyms for complication

Noun

However, there were signs of the difficulties clubs faced in concluding their business by 7pm.

— Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
More concerning memory problems may involve difficulty retaining new information in the first place, like repeatedly asking a question without remembering the answer.

— Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficulty

Noun

But rates of cardiac disease have fallen in recent years, as the medical community pivots to managing cholesterol levels, hypertension and diabetes—all risk factors for heart disease.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
The administration said 80% of insurers pledged changes to preauthorization requirements for 80% of diseases and injuries by January 2026.

— Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of disease

Noun

Rejecting the imaginary lyrical voice, her work offers the beauty of commonplace detail from which stories make truth evident as complexity.

— Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Rivaling modern sewers in size and complexity, this remarkable network of tunnels dates as far back as 500 BC, and parts are still in use today, draining runoff from the Forum in the heart of the city.

— Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of complexity

Noun

Hospitals and medical practitioners could treat many ailments and save lives, but medications like insulin for diabetes and antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia didn’t exist.

— Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
On the other side of it, Zeek Biggers, who hasn’t played in either preseason game, has been dealing with a minor nagging ailment in recent weeks but is back now.

— David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of ailment

Noun

Fewer than 10 people typically die of the illness each year, but nearly everyone who contracts it dies, according to the CDC.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2026
If a parent has an illness so contagious that the hospital can’t adequately protect other patients from it, such as tuberculosis, the parent and child would probably be put in an isolation room with special airflow to contain germs.

— Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of illness

Noun

The comments were laid out in a two-page letter published via Telegram, as the country set its conditions for reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and touted the prospect of a return to diplomatic negotiations.

— Sam Meredith,Lim Hui Jie,Mike Sheen, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Rather than just a reproductive issue, endometriosis is a whole-body condition, affecting everything from emotional regulation to hormone production and gut health.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of condition

Noun

All the police will find is a crowd sitting in silent vigil and a bottle of olive oil for anointing the ill.

— Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
Alex Pantling/Getty Images What is clear is that no one thinks the changes enacted in either the Championship or League One are a resolution to the EFL’s marked financial ills.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of ill

Noun

Aaronson pointed to the second law of thermodynamics, which states that entropy, a measure of disorder, tends to increase over time.

— Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Buprenorphine, semisynthetic opioid medication used primarily to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and to manage severe chronic pain.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of disorder

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complicating

complication

complications

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“Complication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complication. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of complication

noun

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