COMPLICATION Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

complication

noun

ˌkäm-plə-ˈkā-shən

Definition of complication

as in difficulty

something that makes a situation more complicated or difficult the food allergies of the guests were just another complication for the couple trying to plan their wedding reception

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in disease

an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning complications set in after the surgery

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in complexity

the state or quality of having many interrelated parts or aspects a problem of such irreducible complication as to defy any easy solution

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of complication The child then had serious complications, including multiple infections leading to sepsis. — Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 Choosing a specialist can help to reduce complications and improve outcomes. — Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 Two years later, health complications ranging from an inguinal hernia to a diabetes diagnosis forced him to shift his priorities. — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026 One Swedish study showed that flexibility within paternal leave policies, such as allowing new dads to take intermittent time off after the birth of a child, helped reduce the incidence of maternal postpartum health complications. — Megan Kuykendoll, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for complication

Recent Examples of Synonyms for complication

Noun

Advantage players, meanwhile, had no difficulty defending betting machines.

— Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
One limitation of obtaining court orders against counterfeiters is the difficulty of enforcing them in foreign jurisdictions.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficulty

Noun

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are difficult to study, in part because diagnosing the disease early in people is challenging.

— Julie Moreno, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
Younger demographics are being diagnosed with increasing cases of colon cancer, and people of color face disproportionately higher mortality rates from the disease.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of disease

Noun

For each gene, the catalogue would ideally include its technical complexity, which methods can reliably analyze it, and document when a specialized test is required.

— Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
The conversation and the word itself, which gives the seventh and final episode its title, unlocks the Biblical underpinnings and the complexities governing many of the main characters.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of complexity

Noun

Another handful of Panthers injuries to monitor The Panthers also have a few ailments to keep track of during the Week 5 bye.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
This puzzle is stuffed with nuance, pleasing crosses and a lot of simply terrific, ridiculously evocative stuff — for example, a jarring assortment of lovely trivia intersecting with some hideous ailments at more than one juncture.

— Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of ailment

Noun

Authorities have said Ervebo could offer some protection against Bundibugyo, but whether the vaccine can actually prevent illness is still being studied.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Blanchard has said her mother abused her for years and forced her to fake serious illnesses.

— Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of illness

Noun

In 2013 the agency issued a rule saying the exclusion should apply only when an orphan drug is actually used for the rare condition it was designated for.

— John Mildenberger, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
It may not be recommended during pregnancy or for people who are immunocompromised or have certain medical conditions.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of condition

Noun

In the story, the duck doesn’t make it, and the now-ill patient didn’t wear any gloves while handling it.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026
The game’s maker, Paolo Pedercini, has long diagnosed the ills of modern capitalism through countercultural video games like Phone Story (2011), which depicted the exploitative supply chain of a smartphone.

— Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of ill

Noun

Following the killing, Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, her attorneys said.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
She never has been diagnosed with an underlying seizure disorder, such as epilepsy, and a medical test to provoke a seizure in Linton after the crash came back with no abnormal brain activity, prosecutors said.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of disorder

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complicating

complication

complications

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Style

“Complication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complication. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of complication

noun

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