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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

New findings by a team of researchers from the US and Australia have complicated an ongoing debate over whether a total joint arthroplasty may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

— Mike McRae August 31, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
As the disease progresses, people can develop a stiff neck, seizures and coma.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of disease

Noun

If physical gestures serve our relatives just fine, why did our own branch of the family tree gradually favor biological changes in our brains and anatomy that permitted our characteristic complexities in language and precision in speech?

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Beyond bergamot, bitter grapefruit contrasts with warm amber and musk, while petitgrain and earthy vetiver add complexity.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of complexity

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

Having a healthy lawn means managing soil conditions for the roots, mowing properly, and strengthening the density of the grass by overseeding.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
Women would also be screened through a questionnaire, which could then move to treatment for conditions related to hormonal imbalance.

— Idrees Ali, USA Today, 3 Sep. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of complication

noun

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