complicateverb [ T ]
uk/ˈkɒm.plɪ.keɪt/us/ˈkɑːm.plə.keɪt/C1 to make something more difficult to deal with, do, or understand:
It will only complicate the situation if we invite his old girlfriend as well.
The rescue operation has been complicated by bad weather.
These new rules have complicated the tax system even further.
If one illness complicates another illness, it makes the other illness worse:
The breathing problem has now been complicated by a chest infection.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Elaborating, specifying and simplifying
- broaden
- depth
- detail
- dilate
- dilate on/upon sth
- dumb
- dumb sth down
- expand
- expand on sth
- expansive
- expatiate
- flesh
- flesh sth out
- generalization
- predigested
- reductive
- simplify
- spec
- specification
- split
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Deteriorating and making worse