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

Other Word Forms

• convolutedly adverb
• convolutedness noun
• unconvoluted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of convoluted¹

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

Example Sentences

She knows, vaguely, it has something to do with how California draws the boundaries for its 52 congressional districts, a convoluted and arcane process that’s not exactly top of the mind for your average person.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She spent hours poring over a convoluted spreadsheet Sasha kept and found communications with several different financial advisers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The convoluted system allowed them to keep the peso strong and print money to cover ever-rising public spending.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Silver acknowledged that the convoluted format used this year “was a miss.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

However, there is also a feeling that the proposals are too convoluted and a 12-team top tier does not provide enough 'best v best'.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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