complicated

[ kom-pli-key-tid ]

adjective

1. composed of elaborately interconnected parts; complex:

   complicated apparatus for measuring brain functions.

2. difficult to analyze, understand, explain, etc.:

   a complicated problem.

   Synonyms: knotty, tangled, involved

complicated

/ ˈkɒmplɪˌkeɪtɪd /

adjective

1. made up of intricate parts or aspects that are difficult to understand or analyse

Derived Forms

• ˈcompliˌcatedness, noun
• ˈcompliˌcatedly, adverb

Other Words From

• compli·cated·ly adverb
• compli·cated·ness noun
• un·compli·cated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of complicated¹

First recorded in 1640–50; complicate + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Like rumors, sometimes the connection is true, sometimes it’s totally false, and sometimes it’s been deeply complicated by some other factor that didn’t make it into your groupchat.

From Slate

Providing this kind of care is complicated by the shortage of behavioral treatment professionals.

From Los Angeles Times

That’s a complicated question too, and the answer demands nuance.

From Salon

It presents these people in an incredibly complicated situation, and it doesn’t make any moral judgments,” they said.

From Los Angeles Times

No matter how you dress them, whatever complicated motivations and methodologies you cook up, they’re all cut from the same pattern.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arduous
• convoluted
• difficult
• fancy
• hard
• intricate
• knotty
• perplexing
• problematic
• sophisticated
• troublesome