byzantine

adjective

ˈbi-zᵊn-ˌtēn How to pronounce byzantine (audio)
Definition of byzantinenext
as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated spent his first year at the Pentagon just trying to fathom its byzantine workings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of byzantine The entrenched, byzantine system for acquiring things is why the most sophisticated country in human history is at risk of no longer having the world’s most sophisticated military. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 The notion is that children are both uniquely vulnerable to trafficking or other mistreatment and incapable of navigating their way through the byzantine immigration system without legal help. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 And the hardest part is learning all the byzantine scoring and the rules and stuff. — Sean Gregory, Time, 23 July 2026 As a result, half of the states opted out despite the prospect of generous federal job-creation assistance, due to fear of America’s byzantine permitting system and an array of entrenched interests commonly referred to as Not In My Backyard (NIMBY). — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 At the same time, many owners of homes and businesses that burned down are more focused on navigating the byzantine rebuilding process and trying to sell their lots than on maintaining their properties. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 Lasdun, by contrast, insists on delivering a meticulous retelling of the Murdaugh case, complete with byzantine subplots involving the suspicious death of the family’s housekeeper and the murder of another local teenager. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 The Fresco Building takes its name from its history of having hosted two 13th-century Byzantine frescoes for 15 years, from 1997 to 2012. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 June 2026 Following a behind-schedule and over-budget redevelopment by Transport for London, the roundabout was replaced last year with a byzantine road and cycle lane layout which, peppered with traffic lights, causes constant congestion in the area. — Ian King, CNBC, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byzantine
  1. complicated
  2. intricate
  3. complicate
  4. complex
  5. sophisticated
Adjective
  • Some 400 firefighters have been battling the blaze, aided by helicopters flying overnight, officials said, but high winds had complicated efforts to contain it.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • But deciding what to do with that money has become more complicated because cash itself is once again producing a meaningful return.
    — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicated
Adjective
  • Bridges and overhangs were clean, confirming excellent exposure calibration and the printer's ability to resolve intricate features without sacrificing dimensional accuracy.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Those jurisdictional questions look to set up a pretty intricate set of arguments before the judge gets to the merits of the case.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of intricate
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
Definition of complicate
Adjective
  • Breaking down barriers to care Mothers with mental health issues can face complex and layered barriers to care.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There are more complex versions of the term premium that seek to identify the components driving its changes.
    — Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of complex
Adjective
  • Now, advanced and sophisticated products are helping growing companies extend the impact of their existing workforces in ways that previously weren’t realistically attainable.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Iran’s state media, in turn, has waged a sophisticated propaganda campaign, publishing a barrage of content and misinformation meant to sway public opinion of the wider war and diminish its government’s losses.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sophisticated

Browse Nearby Words

bywords
byzantine
cab
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Byzantine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byzantine. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All