elaborate

American  

[ih-lab-er-it, ih-lab-uh-reyt] / ɪˈlæb ər ɪt, ɪˈlæb əˌreɪt /

adjective

1. worked out with great care and nicety of detail; executed with great minuteness.

   elaborate preparations; elaborate care.

   Synonyms:

   painstaking

   Antonyms:

   simple

2. marked by intricate and often excessive detail; complicated; ornate.

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verb (used with object)

elaborates, present (3rd person singular) elaborated, past participle, past elaborating present participle

1. to work out carefully or minutely; develop to perfection.

   Synonyms:

   improve, refine

2. to add details to; expand.

3. to produce or develop by labor.

4. Physiology. to convert (food, plasma, etc.) by means of chemical processes into a substance more suitable for use within the body.

verb (used without object)

elaborates, present (3rd person singular) elaborated, past participle, past elaborating present participle

1. to add details in writing, speaking, etc.; give additional or fuller treatment (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to elaborate upon a theme or an idea.

   Synonyms:

   improve, refine

elaborate British  

/ ɪˈlæbərətɪv /

adjective

1. planned or executed with care and exactness; detailed

2. marked by complexity, ornateness, or detail

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verb

1. (intr; usually foll by on or upon) to add information or detail (to an account); expand (upon)

2. (tr) to work out in detail; develop

3. (tr) to make more complicated or ornate

4. (tr) to produce by careful labour; create

5. (tr) physiol to change (food or simple substances) into more complex substances for use in the body

Synonym Usage

Elaborate, labored, studied apply to that which is worked out in great detail. That which is elaborate is characterized by great, sometimes even excessive, minuteness of detail: elaborate preparations for a banquet. That which is labored is marked by excessive, often forced or uninspired, effort: a labored style of writing. That which is studied is accomplished with care and deliberation, and is done purposely, sometimes even having been rehearsed: a studied pose.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• elaborately
  adverb
• unelaborated
  adjective
• nonelaborating
  adjective
• elaborator
  noun
• superelaborately
  adverb
• superelaborateness
  noun
• unelaborately
  adverb
• unelaborate
  adjective
• elaborateness
  noun
• superelaborate
  adjective
• elaboration
  noun
• nonelaborate
  adjective
• quasi-elaborate
  adjective
• well-elaborated
  adjective
• quasi-elaborately
  adverb
• self-elaborated
  adjective
• unelaborateness
  noun
• nonelaborateness
  noun
• nonelaborately
  adverb
• elaborative
  adjective
• nonelaborative
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has elaborated
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have elaborated
  perfect
• are elaborating
  progressive
• am elaborating
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been elaborating
  perfect progressive
• is elaborating
  progressive 3rd person singular
• elaborating
  participle
• has been elaborating
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• elaborates
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had elaborated
  perfect
• had been elaborating
  perfect progressive
• was elaborating
  progressive singular
• were elaborating
  progressive plural
• elaborated
  simple
• elaborated
  participle

Future

• will elaborate
  simple
• will have elaborated
  perfect
• will be elaborating
  progressive
• will have been elaborating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of elaborate

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin ēlabōrātus (past participle of ēlabōrāre ) worked out, equivalent to ē- intensive prefix + labōr- “work” + -ātus adjective suffix; see e- ¹, -ate ¹

Explanation

Use the adjective elaborate when you want to describe how something is very detailed or especially complicated, like a devilish prank planned out weeks in advance. The adjective elaborate is used to describe when something is planned with a lot of attention to detail or when something is intricate or detailed itself. The word comes from the Latin elaborare, which means "to produce by labor" but it has come to mean a lot of labor, especially work that is very complicated and precise. To imagine this word, think of a painting with lots of flourishes or a story with many sub-plots and characters that all fit together in extensive ways.

Example Sentences

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pulled out all the stops for Xi when he arrived on Monday, from a red-carpet welcome to elaborate acrobatic performances.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Asked to respond to the lawmakers’ allegations and ProPublica’s reporting, Navarro in a text message wrote “Staggering level of hyperbole. More fake news” but did not elaborate.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

“It just jumps off the page in this complaint that, really, this is just an elaborate fee-harvesting scheme,” Pierce said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

Former Cine & TV Artistes' Association official Amit Behl said filmmakers often cannot afford to halt shoots midway, especially when a large crew or elaborate action sequences are involved.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

It’s so elaborate, and her face was painted to match.

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks