WordValeconvoluted
extremely complex and difficult to follow
In more detail
1. (adjective) extremely complicated and difficult to understand
2. (adjective) twisted or coiled in many loops
Examples
- 1. The plot of the movie was so convoluted that I couldn't follow it.
- 2. The convoluted path wound through the garden in many spiral turns.
How to use convoluted
Convoluted is used primarily to describe things that are unnecessarily complicated or hard to follow, often with a critical undertone suggesting the complexity is excessive or confusing. It appears frequently in literary and academic contexts when discussing plots, arguments, or explanations. The physical sense (twisted or coiled) is less common in modern usage.
Common phrases
- convoluted plot
- convoluted argument
- convoluted reasoning
- convoluted explanation
- convoluted path
- convoluted process
Synonyms
complicated · complex · intricate · labyrinthine · tortuous
Opposites
simple · straightforward · clear
Word family
convolution (noun) · convolutedly (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use convoluted to mean simply complicated or difficult without the implication of excessive, unnecessary, or confusing complexity that the word typically carries.
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