noun
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the state or quality of being intricate or complex
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something intricate or complex; complication
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of complexity
Explanation
Is the movie simple or does it have lots of plot twists and intricate relationships between characters? If the latter is true, the movie's complexity makes it hard to understand. When you see the word complexity, think of something with a lot of pieces, something not easy to put into words or understand. Things that can have complexity include: the events leading up to the American Civil War, a broth made with many ingredients, your relationship with your parents. Complexity is the opposite of simplicity. When something has a lot of complexity, you say it is complex. When it has very little complexity, it is simple.
Vocabulary lists containing complexity
List 2
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Nothing But the Truth
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
National teams don't have the time to build the complexity of club sides, so the message has to be simple and repeated.
From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026
VW said its model lineup will be gradually concentrated on the most attractive market segments and streamlined by up to 50% while the complexity of the range will be reduced by up to 75%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026
Faced with the complexity of screening users, the startup simply pulled the models offline entirely.
From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026
A memory play of quiet complexity, “We Had a World” is a moving meditation on the challenge of appreciating our imperfect yet irreplaceable loved ones in the time that’s available.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
That is, population growth leads to societal complexity, by mechanisms that we shall discuss, while societal complexity in turn leads to intensified food production and thereby to population growth.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
