convoluted
Say it: KON-vuh-loo-tid /ˈkɑnvəlutɪd/ · adjective
What “convoluted” means
So complicated that it's hard to follow.
More precisely: Extremely complicated and hard to follow.
Example: “The refund process is so convoluted that most people just give up.”
When to use it
In critical everyday or work conversations, when a process, story or explanation has too many confusing twists.
Memory trick
Picture a simple route twisted into a knot of unnecessary loops.
Similar words
complicated, tangled, labyrinthine
Where it comes from
From Latin convolvere, "to roll together."
Quick check
To borrow a library book, you must follow a maze of appointments, approvals and repeated forms. The process is…
convoluted or comprehensive?
Show the answer
convoluted
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