complication

American  

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

noun

1. the act of complicating.

2. a complicated 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

• complicative adjective
• precomplication noun
• recomplication noun

Etymology

Origin of complication

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

Example Sentences

But their plans have faced delays and complications.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sanctions add another layer of complication, lawyers said.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the same time, hypercortisolism is linked to complications including weight gain, muscle loss, and diabetes.

From Science Daily

Doctors are encouraged to consider family history of atherosclerosis, underlying conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and life events like early menopause or pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, when evaluating risk and planning treatment.

From Science Daily

The incidents compounded the weekend’s travel complications as passengers faced hourslong wait times at airports across the country.

From Barron's

Related Words

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