complicate

verb

(transitive) To make complex; to modify so as to make something intricate or difficult.

(transitive) To involve in a convoluted matter.

adjective

(now rare, poetic) Complex, complicated.

(obsolete) Intertwined.

Roots

plicoplic- · Latin · fold

Synonyms for complicate

perplexv aggravatev confusev exacerbatev entanglev confoundv disarrangev implicatev involvev obfuscatev

Synonyms & related words for complicate

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of complicate — including perplex, aggravate, confuse, exacerbate, entangle, confound. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to complicate

Explore words related to complicate — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include oversimplify, elaborate, overcomplicated, simplify, complicatedly, complicacy, complication, convoluted. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for complicate

Common synonyms for complicate include perplex, aggravate, confuse, exacerbate, entangle, confound, disarrange, implicate — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does complicate come from?

The word complicate breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root plic-, from Latin plico (“fold”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.