complicate
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com·pli·cate
(kŏm′plĭ-kāt′)tr. & intr.v. com·pli·cat·ed, com·pli·cat·ing, com·pli·cates
1. To make or become complex or perplexing.
2. To twist or become twisted together.
adj. (-kĭt)
1. Complex, intricate, and involved.
2. Biology Folded longitudinally one or several times, as certain leaves or the wings of some insects.
[Latin complicāre, complicāt-, to fold together : com-, com- + plicāre, to fold; see plek- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
complicate
vb
to make or become complex
adj
1. (Biology) biology folded on itself: a complicate leaf.
2. a less common word for complicated
[C17: from Latin complicāre to fold together, from plicāre to fold]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
com•pli•cate
(v. ˈkɒm plɪˌkeɪt; adj. -kɪt)v. -cat•ed, -cat•ing,
adj. v.t.
1. to make complex, intricate, involved, or difficult.
adj. 2. complex; involved.
3. folded longitudinally one or more times, as the wings of certain insects.
[1615–25; < Latin complicātus, past participle of complicāre to fold together =com- com- + plicāre to fold1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
complicate
Past participle: complicated
Gerund: complicating
Imperative |
---|
complicate |
complicate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Verb | 1. | complicate - make more complicated; "There was a new development that complicated the matter" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" complexify - make complex; "he unnecessarily complexified every problem" simplify - make simpler or easier or reduce in complexity or extent; "We had to simplify the instructions"; "this move will simplify our lives" |
2. | complicate - make more complex, intricate, or richer; "refine a design or pattern" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" involve - make complex or intricate or complicated; "The situation was rather involved" develop - elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme; "develop the melody and change the key" sophisticate - make more complex or refined; "a sophisticated design" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
complicate
verb make difficult, confuse, muddle, embroil, entangle, make intricate, involve Don't complicate matters by getting the union involved.
explain, clarify, facilitate, spell out, clear up, simplify, disentangle, elucidate
explain, clarify, facilitate, spell out, clear up, simplify, disentangle, elucidate
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
complicate
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُعَقِّد
komplikovat
gøre indvikletkomplicere
komplikál
flækja
apsunkinimaskomplikacijakomplikuotineaiškus
komplicētsarežģīt
komplikovať
zaplesti
güçleştirmekzorlaştırmak
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
complicate
vt → komplizieren
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
complicate
(ˈkomplikeit) verb to make difficult. His illness will complicate matters.
ˈcomplicated adjective (negative uncomplicated) difficult to understand. complicated instructions.
ˌcompliˈcation noun1. something making a situation etc more difficult. Taking the dog with us on holiday will be an added complication.
2. a development (in an illness etc) which makes things worse.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
complicate
v. complicar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012