complicate
Americanverb (used with object)
adjective
-
complex; involved.
-
Entomology. folded longitudinally one or more times, as the wings of certain insects.
verb
adjective
-
biology folded on itself
a complicate leaf
-
a less common word for complicated
Other Word Forms
- overcomplicate verb (used with object)
- precomplicate verb (used with object)
- recomplicate verb (used with object)
- uncomplicate verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of complicate
1615–25; < Latin complicātus (past participle of complicāre to fold together), equivalent to com- com- + -plic- (combining form of *plecāre to fold, akin to plectī to plait; complex ) + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
To complicate things is to make them more complex, confusing, or difficult. So if you've already accepted two party invitations for Saturday night, don't complicate the situation by accepting a third. This verb dates back to the 17th century, when it meant “to intertwine” or “to fold together." This intertwining and folding together, however, sometimes don't work out so well. An infection can complicate an injury. A detour for road construction will complicate your usual route. And directions that are written in another language — and without pictures — complicate the assembly of furniture and toys.
Vocabulary lists containing complicate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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"What, of This Goldfish, Would You Wish?" Vocabulary from the short story
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Higher inflation, in turn, would complicate the picture for the Fed’s interest-rate path.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 5, 2026
Japan’s fortifications aim to protect the vulnerable islands, but they have an added advantage: They complicate China’s freedom of maneuver, Matsuda said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
If the Maldives did file a legal case, it would further complicate the UK's deal with Mauritius.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
“That can complicate the ability for people to leave, even if it’s just for a short period of time.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
It was true—and if this relationship became something more, then it would only complicate matters when she eventually left the castle.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
