convoluted
Americanadjective
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twisted; coiled.
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complicated; intricately involved.
a convoluted way of describing a simple device.
adjective
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(esp of meaning, style, etc) difficult to comprehend; involved
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wound together; coiled
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of convoluted
Explanation
If something is convoluted, it's intricate and hard to understand. You'll need to read over your brother's convoluted investment scheme a few times before deciding whether or not to go in on it. Convoluted comes from the Latin convolutus for rolled up together. Its original meaning in English was exactly that, first for eaves coiled up on themselves, then for anything rolled or knotted together. Over time convoluted took on its metaphorical sense of complicated and intricate, which is how it's generally used today. People complain about convoluted legal language and the convoluted tax code.
Vocabulary lists containing convoluted
The Glass Castle
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"Names/Nombres" by Julia Alvarez
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The Color of Water
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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.
But OpenAI's ability to keep raising the capital needed to operate is hamstrung by its convoluted governance structure -- in which a nonprofit board retains ultimate control over a for-profit arm.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
Beyond that, there are 'zero kilowatt zones', 'power-limited periods' and a series of other intricacies that many in F1 believe have made the rules far too convoluted.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
Despite the convenience of the one-stop concept, the process is so convoluted that some left frustrated and confused.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
This kind of content is what Donaldson has become known for: convoluted challenges and grandiose philanthropic efforts.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026
At the heart of it, magnified by the curved surface, there was a strange, pink, convoluted object that recalled a rose or a sea anemone.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
