complex
Made of many parts, and hard to understand or work out.
complex in a sentence
- The model castle had a complex design with secret passages and towers.
- The puzzle was complex, so we worked on it together.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to complex?
- Astraightforward
- Bcomplicated
- Ceasy
- Dsimple
Show the answer
B: complicated. The other three mean the opposite of complex.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to complex?
- Acomplicated
- Bdifficult
- Csimple
- Dtricky
Show the answer
C: simple. The other three mean nearly the same as complex.
Words that mean something similar
complicated, difficult, tricky
Words that mean the opposite
simple, easy, straightforward
Careful: complex is not intricate
Complex is about being hard to work out. Intricate is about lots of small, fine detail. Read why children mix them up.
More words about thinking & learning
- comprehend: To fully understand something.
- concoct: To make something by mixing things, or to invent a story or plan.
- conscious: Awake, and aware of what is happening around you.
- contrary: Completely opposite to something else.
- crucial: Extremely important; something everything else depends on.
- cryptic: Having a hidden meaning that is hard to work out.
- decipher: To work out what something difficult or secret means.
- demonstrate: To show clearly how something works, or that it is true.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test