complicates

VERB

confuse, make difficult

Synonyms

STRONGEST

convolute impede involve muddle obscure perplex upset

STRONG

bedevil clog combine confound derange disarrange disorder elaborate embroil entangle fold interrelate interweave jumble multiply ravel snafu snag tangle twist

WEAK

add fuel to fire foul up infold interfuse make intricate make waves mix up muck up open can of worms render unintelligible screw up snarl up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

clear up enlighten explain order

STRONG

arrange clarify divide exclude free straighten uncomplicate untangle untwist

WEAK

disentangle ease facilitate make simple

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

complicates

Oil’s retreat below $80 a barrel may be good news for consumers, but it complicates the outlook for packaged-food companies.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

Mr. Romm complicates matters further by adding quotes from other sources to Stobaeus’ selections, diluting the book’s ability to show us the anthologist’s true intent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

The immediate reappearance of Colbert in a different format complicates that framing, suggesting not an endpoint but a transition across media forms.

From Salon ● May 23, 2026

The conflict complicates a delicate balance for Saudi Arabia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026

This complicates our main story, the dissemination of the idea of the fact in England.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton