noun
-
the state or quality of being intricate or complex
-
something intricate or complex; complication
Other Word Forms
- intercomplexity noun
- overcomplexity noun
- supercomplexity noun
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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"Why Read Shakespeare?" Vocabulary from the argument
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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.
O'Neill said she had joined "at a time when our industry is operating in an environment of conflict and complexity".
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
BP "has been working relentlessly to keep our assets producing safely, reliably and efficiently," while working "in an environment of conflict and complexity," O'Neill said.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
“There’s a lot of complexity around payments,” she said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026
I had a long pattern of choosing unavailable men, telling myself it was because I could handle the complexity.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
He stared up at the stars: and it seemed to him then that they were dancers, stately and graceful, performing a dance almost infinite in its complexity.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
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.
