complexity

noun

com·​plex·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplek-sə-tē 

käm-

plural complexities

1

: something complex

the complexities of the murder trial

2

: the quality or state of being complex

the complexity of the contract

Synonyms

• complexness
• complicacy
• complicatedness
• complication
• elaborateness
• intricacy
• intricateness
• involution
• knottiness
• sophistication

Examples of complexity in a Sentence

He was impressed by the complexity of the music.

The diagram illustrates the complexity of the cell's structure.

He doesn't grasp the complexity of the situation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Likewise, some recessions have occurred without a concurrent bear market, highlighting the complexity of using markets as predictive tools. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025

The scientific challenges facing the EPA are increasing in complexity. —H. Christopher Frey, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025

Fiction affords a chance to dramatize the full complexity of a situation and immerse a reader in a way that an essay or an op-ed cannot. —Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025

His work encompasses video, sculpture, textile, photography and other sound/performative installations that address the complexity of the Afro-Swedish experience. —Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

complex entry 2 + -ity, perhaps after French complexité

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for complexity

• convexity
• perplexity

Kids Definition

complexity

noun

com·​plex·​i·​ty kəm-ˈplek-sət-ē 

käm-

plural complexities

1

: something complex

the complexities of the English language

2

: the quality or state of being complex