complicate

/ˈkɒmplɪkeɪt/

make something more difficult or complex

The new regulations will complicate the approval process.

The new rules will make the approval process harder and more 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

Use 'complicate' when describing how something becomes harder to understand or manage.

From Latin 'complicare' meaning 'to fold together' or 'to entwine', from 'com-' (together) + 'plicare' (to fold).

Can be used both transitively (with a direct object) and intransitively (without a direct object).

com-

together

prefix

-plicate

to fold

root

English Dictionary