elaborate

American  

[ih-lab-er-it, ih-lab-uh-reyt] / ɪˈlæb ər ɪt, ɪˈlæb əˌreɪt /

adjective

1. worked out with great care and nicety of detail; executed with great minuteness.

   elaborate preparations; elaborate care.

   Synonyms:

   painstaking

   Antonyms:

   simple

2. marked by intricate and often excessive detail; complicated; ornate.

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verb (used with object)

elaborated, elaborating

1. to work out carefully or minutely; develop to perfection.

   Synonyms:

   improve, refine

2. to add details to; expand.

3. to produce or develop by labor.

4. Physiology. to convert (food, plasma, etc.) by means of chemical processes into a substance more suitable for use within the body.

verb (used without object)

elaborated, elaborating

1. to add details in writing, speaking, etc.; give additional or fuller treatment (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to elaborate upon a theme or an idea.

   Synonyms:

   improve, refine

elaborate British  

/ ɪˈlæbərətɪv /

adjective

1. planned or executed with care and exactness; detailed

2. marked by complexity, ornateness, or detail

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verb

1. (intr; usually foll by on or upon) to add information or detail (to an account); expand (upon)

2. (tr) to work out in detail; develop

3. (tr) to make more complicated or ornate

4. (tr) to produce by careful labour; create

5. (tr) physiol to change (food or simple substances) into more complex substances for use in the body

Related Words

Elaborate, labored, studied apply to that which is worked out in great detail. That which is elaborate is characterized by great, sometimes even excessive, minuteness of detail: elaborate preparations for a banquet. That which is labored is marked by excessive, often forced or uninspired, effort: a labored style of writing. That which is studied is accomplished with care and deliberation, and is done purposely, sometimes even having been rehearsed: a studied pose.

Other Word Forms

• elaborately adverb
• elaborateness noun
• elaboration noun
• elaborative adjective
• elaborator noun
• nonelaborate adjective
• nonelaborately adverb
• nonelaborateness noun
• nonelaborating adjective
• nonelaborative adjective
• quasi-elaborate adjective
• quasi-elaborately adverb
• self-elaborated adjective
• superelaborate adjective
• superelaborately adverb
• superelaborateness noun
• unelaborate adjective
• unelaborated adjective
• unelaborately adverb
• unelaborateness noun
• well-elaborated adjective

Etymology

Origin of elaborate

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin ēlabōrātus (past participle of ēlabōrāre ) worked out, equivalent to ē- intensive prefix + labōr- “work” + -ātus adjective suffix; e- ¹, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign cited a scheduling conflict but did not elaborate.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

He avoids bottled water due to microplastics and has set up an elaborate system to catch rainwater from the house roof.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

“It appears that Supermicro has been a victim of the elaborate schemes orchestrated by these individuals, which deceived both federal authorities and our internal compliance team,” Liang wrote in a letter to customers on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Hollywood thrived in this tough decade partly by catering to people’s need for fantasy and escapism, through screwball comedies, adventure stories and the elaborate musicals of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

And I could elaborate on this at some length and with, I believe, a fair degree of accuracy.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt