Which to use
“complexity” and “complicity” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,883
- “complexity” frequency rank
- #27,778
- “complicity” frequency rank
- 34661
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | complexity | complicity |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The state of being complex; intricacy; entanglement. | The state of being complicit; involvement as a partner or accomplice, especially in a crime or other wrongdoing. |
Letter map: complexity vs complicity
Shared letters muted; letters that set complexity and complicity apart highlighted. Shared run: 8.
Spelling & dictionary notes on complexity vs complicity
complexity and complicity are indexed as a confusable English pair. We have no recorded pronunciation or part of speech for both members, so the spelling overlap is what we can show you: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34661, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
complexity is recorded at frequency rank #6,883, classified as anoun, pronounced /kəmˈplɛk.sɪ.ti/. complicity is at rank #27,778, tagged as anoun.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 34661, this pair ranks #318,854 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of complexity vs complicity
Shared letters: cilmopty. Private to "complexity": ex. Private to "complicity": -.
"complexity" · 10 letters · shape CVCCCVCVCV · "complicity" · 10 letters · shape CVCCCVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- complexity ← ccomplexity · cmoplexity · comlpexity · commplexity · compelxity · compleixty · complexitty · complexityy
- complicity ← ccomplicity · cmoplicity · comlpicity · commplicity · compilcity · complciity · compliccity · complicitty
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "complexity" for "complicity" ever safe?
Which is more common, "complexity" or "complicity"?
After this comparison
You've compared "complexity" and "complicity". Here's where to go from here.
- Full dictionary entry for "complexity" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "complicity" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #318,854 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "complexity" and "complicity" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "complicit vs complicity". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #318,854 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.