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
  • Or from locking up Mick Cronin through 2030, even though UCLA’s prickly basketball coach embarrasses the university annually and hasn’t reached a Sweet 16 since 2023.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The comprehensive regimen is meant to uncover any prior criminal conduct in an applicant’s past as well as embarrassing personal information that could make an employee vulnerable to blackmail.
    — Eric Tucker, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrass
Verb
  • Conflict between the government and rebel groups in the eastern region, attacks on health workers and an intense population movement also have worsened the outbreak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Venezuela’s oil output began to stagnate, a situation which worsened further after the coup attempt of April 2002.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsen
Adjective
  • Footage obtained earlier this week by a CNN team on the ground offered a glimpse inside these intricate networks built to harness Nepal’s rivers and fuel its booming hydropower industry.
    — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This is, to be clear, a massive streamlining of Woolf’s novel, which goes deep into the lives of William, Mary, and Ralph, among whom a series of intricate romantic attachments begin to develop.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 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
  • Gian Piero Gasperini’s high-pressing style was too intense and aggravated the risk of injury.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Sacramento Superior Court jurors also found true allegations of aggravating factors and a sentencing enhancement for multiple victims, prosecutors said.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggravate

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complicate
complicated
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Cite this Entry

“Complicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complicate. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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