complex and complicated share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. complex means “a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts”. complicated means “difficult to analyze or understand”. complicated is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɑmplɛks/
1.n.a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts
“the complex of shopping malls, houses, and roads created a new town”
2.n.a compound described in terms of the central atom to which other atoms are bound or coordinated
3.n.(psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behavior
/ˈkɑmpləˌkeɪtəd/
1.adj.difficult to analyze or understand
“a complicated problem”
| complex | complicated | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑmplɛks/ | /ˈkɑmpləˌkeɪtəd/ |
| Said | KAHM-pleks | KAHM-pluh-kay-tuhd |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Letters | 7 | 11 |
| Parts of speech | noun, adjective | adjective |
| Senses | 6 | 1 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | composite | complex |
Full entry for complex · Full entry for complicated · More comparisons