complication

American  

[kom-pli-kay-shuhn] / ˌkɒm plɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• complications
  plural

1. the act of complicating.

2. a complicated or involved state or condition.

3. a complex combination of elements or things.

4. something that introduces, usually unexpectedly, some difficulty, problem, change, etc..

   Because of the complications involved in traveling during the strike, we decided to postpone our trip.

   Synonyms:

   obstacle, handicap, drawback

5. Pathology. a concurrent disease, accident, or adverse reaction that aggravates the original disease.

6. the act of forming a unified idea or impression from a number of sense data, memories, etc.

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complication British  

/ ˌkɒmplɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a condition, event, etc, that is complex or confused

2. the act or process of complicating

3. a situation, event, or condition that complicates or frustrates

   her coming was a serious complication

4. a disease or disorder arising as a consequence of another disease

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precomplication
  noun
• recomplication
  noun
• complicative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• complications
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of complication

1605–15; < Late Latin complicātīon- (stem of complicātiō ), equivalent to complicāt ( us ) ( see complicate) + -īon- -ion

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Explanation

A complication is a difficult circumstance or a confused condition, like the complication you cause when you invite a dozen strangers to Thanksgiving dinner. Complications can range from the one your teacher faces when you lose your pet snake in the classroom to the complications that occur during surgery, making recovery more difficult. The plot of your favorite book probably involves several complications for the characters, events or situations that make the ending uncertain or create a dilemma. Complication comes from the Latin complicāre, "to fold together," which makes sense since something with many folds is more complicated than something that's flat.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

complication complications

The travel element does add a complication given the preference for Berrada and Wilcox is to inform Carrick of any decision face to face.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026

There’s another complication: Last year, I gave my sister $25,000 from our joint savings when her divorce was about to cost her the house.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

The approach could also remove another complication found in some existing techniques.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

For Rispoli, his alter ego was a major complication in his professional career.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

Someone tripped over Ralph and Piggy's corner became a complication of snarls and crashes and flying limbs.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Donna Marklew had to undergo a hysterectomy to treat complications caused by childbirth.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026

Measles causes fever, respiratory symptoms and a rash, and in some cases more serious complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation, which can lead to severe long-term health problems or even death.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

Lingering complications from his fall kept Martinů from going to Prague to hear the premiere of his fifth symphony by the newly liberated Czech Philharmonic in 1947.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Changing a biological process too much or too little could create serious complications.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Dr. Webb says that life is so full of complications and confusion that humans oftentimes find it hard to cope.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

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Related Words

• complexity
• confusion
• difficulty
• obstacle
• problem
• snag

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