noun

complication

kahm-plih-KAY-shun/ˌkɑːmplɪˈkeɪʃn/

An additional difficulty that makes a situation harder to manage.

The narrow doorway creates a complication for the movers carrying the sofa.

Two movers find their sofa wedged diagonally in a narrow doorway: the doorway creates a complication in the otherwise straightforward task of carrying it inside.

Etymology

comLatintogether

+plicLatinto fold

+ationLatinaction or result

Folding together supplied the image of an intricate intermingling. Complication later named an additional disorder arising during an illness, then more generally an added problem that makes an existing situation harder to manage.

In context

Numberphile5:10

But a slight complication is that the letters are actually written in Hebrew and not Greek.

666 - Numberphile

More examples

The canceled flight creates an unexpected complication for our trip.
Infection is a possible complication of surgery.
We finish the repairs without any further complications.

Forms

complication · complications

complicate verb — To make something harder to manage.

complicated adjective — Difficult to understand or deal with.

Similar words

obstacle: An obstacle blocks progress rather than simply adding difficulty.
setback: A setback reverses progress rather than making matters more complex.
snag: A snag is a small, often unexpected practical difficulty.