complicated

What does “complicated” mean?

adjective.consisting of many interconnecting parts or elements; intricate.

SAT Usage

This term often appears in passages discussing complex systems, relationships, or processes, highlighting the challenges and nuances involved. It emphasizes a level of intricacy that suggests difficulty in understanding or managing, distinguishing it from simpler terms like "complex," which may not convey the same degree of entanglement or difficulty.

Common Confusions

Complicated implies a high degree of intricacy and difficulty in understanding, while complex usually suggests a complicated structure without necessarily indicating the same level of challenge or nuance.

Example Sentences

• The directions were far too complicated for a simple task.

• It seems this complicated situation will not blow over soon.

• The plot of the novel was so complicated that readers had to pay close attention to every detail to understand the story.

Word Parts: How to Remember “complicated”

Break “complicated” into its parts: co- (together, with) + -plex- (fold, interweave). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.

• Prefix: co- together, with (Latin)
• Root: -plex- fold, interweave (Latin)