convoluted

[ kon-vuh-loo-tid ]

adjective

1. twisted; coiled.
2. complicated; intricately involved:

   a convoluted way of describing a simple device.

convoluted

/ ˈkɒnvəˌluːtɪd /

adjective

1. (esp of meaning, style, etc) difficult to comprehend; involved
2. wound together; coiled

Derived Forms

• ˈconvoˌlutedness, noun
• ˈconvoˌlutedly, adverb

Other Words From

• convo·luted·ly adjective
• convo·luted·ness noun
• un·convo·luted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of convoluted¹

First recorded in 1805–15; convolute + -ed ²

Example Sentences

So where does this rather convoluted row go from here?

From BBC

In a ruling, Judge Simon Heald said “it appears to us that the AGO initially went about finding private email account details in a convoluted way”, which was “not a sensible way to start”.

From BBC

It sued the company for allegedly violating consumer protection laws with "hidden" termination fees and a convoluted cancellation process.

From BBC

Under California’s convoluted law, individuals who bring in dogs are obligated to send the records to county public health departments, but few actually do.

From Los Angeles Times

According to an EPA policy released this month, companies that want the federal government’s stamp of approval for their sustainable products can no longer use such convoluted math.

From Salon

Related Words

• intricate
• labyrinthine
• perplexing
• puzzling
• tangled
• tortuous