complicate
/ˈkɒmplɪkeɪt/verb★Intermediate— make something more difficult or complex
general
to make something more difficult or complex
Adding more steps to the procedure will only complicate things.
Including additional steps in the process will make it more complicated.
💡
Often used to describe making a situation, process, or system harder to understand or manage.
Collocations
complicate mattersmake a situation more difficultcomplicate the issuemake a problem harder to solve
Synonyms
Antonyms
💡Pro Tip
Common Usage
Use 'complicate' when describing how something becomes harder to understand or manage.
📖Word Origin
From Latin 'complicare' meaning 'to fold together' or 'to entwine', from 'com-' (together) + 'plicare' (to fold).
📝Usage Notes
Can be used both transitively (with a direct object) and intransitively (without a direct object).
Word Breakdown
com-
together
prefix-plicate
to fold
rootEnglish Dictionary