complication

American  

[kom-pli-key-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

Etymology

Origin of complication

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

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

In Thurman’s case, despite clear signs of an ectopic pregnancy, two emergency departments sent her home without resolving the complication.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Elle had developed quinsy, external - a complication of tonsillitis where a pus-filled abscess grows between your tonsils and the wall of your throat - which turned into sepsis, external.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

Brendan Greeley’s “The Almighty Dollar,” published in May, highlights another complication.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

The complication is that the shocks keep arriving.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

Lavender was waiting beside the portrait hole, a complication Harry had not foreseen.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

He is hired by the owner and ringmaster August Rosenbluth, but complications ensue when Jacob falls for August’s wife, Marlena, as they work together to train a stubborn elephant named Rosie for their star act.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Because the disorder can be treated and, in some cases, potentially cured, detecting it earlier could help reduce the risk of preventable cardiovascular complications.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

Is there a way to name an alternate or contingent beneficiary in case he passes away before I do, without creating confusion or complications with my estate plan?

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026

While millions of Indians seek jobs in the Gulf, some workers say Kashmir offers nearly comparable earnings without the costs and complications of overseas migration.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

We had a meeting where the psychologist asked if there had been any complications while I was pregnant with Maribel.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Related Words

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