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.
This opinion was supported by David Rooney in the Hollywood Reporter, external, who wrote that the film "chugs along satisfyingly even with the occasional patch of sluggishness and the usual overly convoluted plot contortions".
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
With regard to “quality,” the evidence suggests profitability incorporates any information about expected returns that may be captured by a long list of quality metrics, including convoluted “roll-ups” of many separate measures of firm strength.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Even in the film’s most convoluted moments, there’s a fire of dissent percolating just beneath its surface.
From Salon ● May 22, 2026
Soriano’s journey to this point was both convoluted and improbable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 2026
It was odd in this time when extended families were more often than not a convoluted web that spanned six living generations or more.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
