complicate

1 of 2

verb

com·​pli·​cate ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt How to pronounce complicate (audio)
complicated; complicating
Synonyms of complicatenext

transitive verb

1
: to make complex or difficult
2
: involve
especially : to cause to be more complex or severe
a virus disease complicated by bacterial infection
3
: to combine especially in an involved or inextricable manner

complicate

2 of 2

adjective

com·​pli·​cate ˈkäm-pli-kət How to pronounce complicate (audio)
1
: complex, intricate
2
: conduplicate

Synonyms of complicate

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Verb

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of complicate in a Sentence

Verb Changing jobs now would complicate her life. a disease complicated by infection Adjective the kind of complicate machinery that is used in the field of robotics
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Such discrepancies can reflect overcrowding and complicate search and rescue efforts, said Nanang Sigit, who heads the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Today, however, several armed groups allied with Tehran are back to pressuring Iran’s foes by opening new fronts that complicate the war and threaten to choke the global economy. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The company very deliberately targets large enterprise customers, which have the biggest and most complicate supply chain ecosystems. — David Prosser, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Wilcox noted that overlaps between substance use and suicide complicate reduction efforts. — Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for complicate

Word History

Etymology

Verb

earlier, "to fold together, intertwine, combine in an involved manner," borrowed from Medieval Latin complicātus, past participle of complicāre "to fold together, wrap around, envelop, interweave" — more at complicate entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin complicātus, from past participle of complicāre "to fold together, wrap around, envelop, interweave," going back to Latin, "to fold together, fold up," from com- com- + plicāre "to fold, bend" — more at ply entry 3

First Known Use

Verb

1672, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of complicate was in 1638

Phrases Containing complicate

Rhymes for complicate

See All Rhymes for complicate

Browse Nearby Words

complicant
complicate
complicated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Complicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complicate. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

complicate

verb
com·​pli·​cate
ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt
complicated; complicating
: to make or become complex or difficult

Medical Definition

complicate

transitive verb
com·​pli·​cate ˈkäm-plə-ˌkāt How to pronounce complicate (audio)
complicated; complicating
: to cause to be more complex or severe
a virus disease complicated by bacterial infection

More from Merriam-Webster on complicate

Nglish: Translation of complicate for Spanish Speakers

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