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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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.
See Examples For:
"We are in an exciting era in which faithful predictive quantum descriptions of the full chemical complexity of real materials are coming within reach," says Peng.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
“Better documentation can capture patient complexity that was previously missed. The same tools can also make it easier to identify billable conditions, whether or not those conditions change care,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Its platform models customers’ artificial intelligence use cases and then directs those demands toward the hardware best suited for their level of complexity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
This is far from the first issue created by the huge complexity of the latest hybrid engines introduced this year, with their near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Now I turn to a parallel intellectual journey: the growth in understanding of the antiquity, diversity, complexity, and technological sophistication of Indian societies.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Unusually, Turkey must navigate these complexities with Australia, a major fossil fuel exporter, after both countries agreed to share COP31 duties following a bruising hosting battle.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
Chatbots “don’t teach us what we need to know about the give-and-take of real relationships, or the friction, risk, and complexities of love,” Turkle writes.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
It’s a fun, childlike interpretation of the complexities of coming from two cultures and religions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
"But I think in general terms the homelessness services are extremely busy, a lot busier... Case loads are extremely high and there are a lot more complexities with those presenting as homeless."
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
I began to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of race in America.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
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.
