What does complicating mean?
Complicating is the present participle and gerund of the verb complicate, meaning to make a situation, task, or problem more difficult, intricate, or involved than it would otherwise be. It is typically used actively: a person, event, or condition complicates matters by adding obstacles, uncertainty, or extra layers to what might have been straightforward. The word carries no strong emotional charge on its own — it can describe anything from trivial inconvenience ('a delayed train complicating a dinner plan') to serious obstruction ('legal restrictions complicating relief efforts') — but it consistently implies that simplicity has been lost. It appears constantly in journalism, business writing, and everyday conversation, especially in fixed pairings like 'complicating factor' and 'further complicating matters.' Because it names a dynamic process rather than a finished state, it pairs naturally with progressive tenses: 'is complicating,' 'was complicating.' Understanding it helps readers parse precisely how and why situations become harder than they first appeared.
verbThe present participle and gerund of the verb 'complicate', meaning to make something more difficult, intricate, or involved than it needs to be.
- To make a situation, process, or problem more difficult or involved than it would otherwise be.
"The sudden storm was complicating efforts to rescue the stranded climbers."
"Her last-minute demands kept complicating an already delicate negotiation."
"The lack of clear documentation is complicating the migration to the new system."
Every time you say 'complicating,' you're literally folding something extra into a situation — the Latin root means just that: to fold together.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of complicating
Complicating derives from the Latin verb complicare, formed from com- ('together') plus plicare ('to fold'), so the literal sense was 'to fold together.' The English verb complicate entered the language in the early 17th century, initially carrying the sense of folding or intertwining things physically before shifting toward its modern meaning of making matters more involved. The same Latin root plicare produced a wide family of English words, including complex, perplex, and duplicate.
Related word forms
How complicating is actually used
Neutral in register and common in both formal writing and everyday speech. It frequently appears in journalistic and analytical prose to describe factors worsening a situation, often in constructions like 'complicating matters' or as part of a participle phrase such as 'further complicating the issue.'
Easily confused with complicating
'Complicating' is the active verb form describing someone or something making a situation more difficult, while 'complicated' describes a state that is already difficult or involved — often used as an adjective.