complicate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
complicates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
complicated,
past participle, past
-
complicating
present participle
adjective
-
complex; involved.
-
Entomology. folded longitudinally one or more times, as the wings of certain insects.
verb
adjective
-
biology folded on itself
a complicate leaf
-
a less common word for complicated
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
overcomplicateverb (used with object)
-
precomplicateverb (used with object)
-
recomplicateverb (used with object)
-
uncomplicateverb (used with object)
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
complicatesimple
-
complicatessimple
-
have complicatedperfect
-
has complicatedperfect
-
am complicatingprogressive
-
are complicatingprogressive
-
is complicatingprogressive
-
have been complicatingperfect progressive
-
has been complicatingperfect progressive
Past
-
complicatedsimple
-
had complicatedperfect
-
was complicatingprogressive
-
were complicatingprogressive
-
had been complicatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of complicate
1615–25; < Latin complicātus (past participle of complicāre to fold together), equivalent to com- com- + -plic- (combining form of *plecāre to fold, akin to plectī to plait; see complex) + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
To complicate things is to make them more complex, confusing, or difficult. So if you've already accepted two party invitations for Saturday night, don't complicate the situation by accepting a third. This verb dates back to the 17th century, when it meant “to intertwine” or “to fold together." This intertwining and folding together, however, sometimes don't work out so well. An infection can complicate an injury. A detour for road construction will complicate your usual route. And directions that are written in another language — and without pictures — complicate the assembly of furniture and toys.
Vocabulary lists containing complicate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"What, of This Goldfish, Would You Wish?" Vocabulary from the short story
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Essential English Vocabulary, List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Supreme Court and further complicate efforts by seven Western states to agree on how to share water from the shrinking river and its reservoirs, which have fallen to record low levels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
With Youssef Chermiti being taken off on a stretcher on the day it was revealed Rangers had rejected a big-money offer for the striker, that may complicate matters further.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Still, the market’s sharp swings on Wednesday and Thursday underscored how quickly inflation and interest-rate concerns can complicate the bullish case for financials, he noted.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 2026
Tariffs and labor costs in particular complicate plans for building affordable cars in the country, and most budget-friendly cars in the U.S. today are built overseas and imported to the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
I did not want to complicate the discussion by introducing grand political theories; I would rely on common sense and the facts of our history.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Infante pointed me toward research by Rabobank senior beverage analyst Bourcard Nesin that complicates one of the most common assumptions about Gen Z drinking habits.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
Hardware complicates my life, but I love it anyway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
An inherited IRA complicates the Roth solution during this period between retirement and required minimum distributions.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Oil’s retreat below $80 a barrel may be good news for consumers, but it complicates the outlook for packaged-food companies.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
“Yeah, but this further complicates our complicated lives.”
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
Surrogacy cases can be complicated, and this one is no exception.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
More recently, researchers have found them in materials that also support more complicated forms of collective electron behavior, including magnetism and superconductivity, in which electrons pair together and move through a material without friction.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
But, when you dig into the detail, you'll find a more complicated picture, where some issues from last year have become even more stark.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Olsen: Because you mentioned a man who’s 400 years old, the mythology of the show gets more complicated as it goes along, right up until the very last episode.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
They are complicated contraptions with hundreds of parts, every one of which feeds back through wires to the control room.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Regulatory hurdles are complicating Earendil Labs’ plans for a Hong Kong initial public offering in which the Chinese artificial-intelligence biotechnology company is seeking a valuation of about $5 billion, people familiar with the matter say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Global conflict is complicating Saudi Arabia’s ability to ship its oil through its usual channels.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
The unpredictability of the fire is complicating the work of emergency responders.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
For these pseudo-historians, complicating Odysseus was another liberal assault on Homer’s tale.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
“He’s complicating any adoption for Jupiter,” said Mrs. Stroud.
From "Orbiting Jupiter" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
