complicate
/ˈkɑmplɪkeɪt/
"complicate" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“complicate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,593 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #20,593
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 15
- tracked misspellings
- 3
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make complex; to modify so as to make something intricate or difficult.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | complicate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈkɑmplɪkeɪt/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #20,593 |
| Misspellings tracked | 15 |
| Confusable pairs | 3 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “complicate” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for complicate is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɑmplɪkeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,593 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for complicate, with forms such as "ccomplicate", "cmoplicate", and "comlpicate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "complicit", "complicity", "complicated", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in the early 17ᵗʰ century; borrowed from Latin complicātus, perfect passive participle of complicō (“to fold together”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- (“together”) + plicō (“to fold, weave, kni… The correct English form is complicate, spelled C-O-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To make complex; to modify so as to make something intricate or difficult.
- 2To involve in a convoluted matter.
- 3To coexist with (another disease) creating a complication.
Etymology
First attested in the early 17ᵗʰ century; borrowed from Latin complicātus, perfect passive participle of complicō (“to fold together”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- (“together”) + plicō (“to fold, weave, knit”); see plaid, and compare complex. See also Middle English complicate (“involved”).
Synonyms
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ccomplicate,cmoplicate,comlpicate,commplicate,compilcate,complciate,compliacte,complicaet,complicatte,compliccate,complictae,compllicate,compplicate,copmlicate,ocmplicate
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of complicate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "complicate"?
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Using “complicate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkɑmplɪkeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “complicit” - see the side-by-side comparison. complicate vs complicit
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.