complicate

1 of 2

verb

com·​pli·​cate ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt 

complicated; complicating

transitive verb

1

: to make complex or difficult

2

: involve

especially : to cause to be more complex or severe

a virus disease complicated by bacterial infection

3

: to combine especially in an involved or inextricable manner

complicate

2 of 2

adjective

com·​pli·​cate ˈkäm-pli-kət 

1

: complex, intricate

2

: conduplicate

Synonyms

Verb

• complex
• complexify
• embarrass
• entangle
• perplex
• sophisticate

Adjective

• baroque
• byzantine
• complex
• complicated
• convoluted
• daedal
• elaborate
• intricate
• involute
• involved
• knotty
• labyrinthian
• labyrinthine
• sophisticated
• tangled

Examples of complicate in a Sentence

Verb

Changing jobs now would complicate her life.

a disease complicated by infection

Adjective

the kind of complicate machinery that is used in the field of robotics

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Even as major Western powers refrain from recognition, the round of announcements illustrates yet again how the devastating war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas is complicating traditional Western alliances — both within the EU and in transatlantic ties. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024

Raziq’s story complicates the comforting belief that brutality always backfires and undermines the U.S. military’s claim to have fought according to international law. —Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

earlier, "to fold together, intertwine, combine in an involved manner," borrowed from Medieval Latin complicātus, past participle of complicāre "to fold together, wrap around, envelop, interweave" — more at complicate entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin complicātus, from past participle of complicāre "to fold together, wrap around, envelop, interweave," going back to Latin, "to fold together, fold up," from com- com- + plicāre "to fold, bend" — more at ply entry 3

First Known Use

Verb

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing complicate

• complicate matters

Kids Definition

complicate

verb

com·​pli·​cate

ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt

complicated; complicating

: to make or become complex or difficult

Medical Definition

complicate

transitive verb

com·​pli·​cate ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt 

complicated; complicating

: to cause to be more complex or severe

a virus disease complicated by bacterial infection