Meaning & use
complex feelings
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Meaning
phraseplural
Emotions that are mixed, conflicting, or difficult to understand clearly.
Grammar: Always plural; use with plural verbs, e.g. 'Complex feelings are normal.'
Patterns
- have complex feelings about something
- complex feelings toward someone
She had complex feelings about moving away from her hometown.
After the argument, he felt complex feelings of anger and relief.
Many people have complex feelings when they become parents.
Common combinations
- complex feelings about
- I have complex feelings about the new job.
- complex feelings toward
- His complex feelings toward his brother made him quiet.
- a mix of complex feelings
- The speech left me with a mix of complex feelings.
- deal with complex feelings
- Therapy helped her deal with complex feelings.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mixed feelings
- More common and slightly more neutral; it often suggests you are partly positive and partly negative.
- conflicted
- An adjective, not a noun phrase; it means you feel pulled in two directions and cannot decide.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: complex feelings or complicated feelings?
complex feelings vs complicated feelings
Very close in meaning, but 'complicated' often suggests the feelings are messy or hard to sort out, while 'complex' is more neutral.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'complex feelings' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Complex feelings' is a plural phrase and is followed by 'about' plus a noun. Option 2 uses the singular 'feeling', option 3 adds 'a' before a plural, and option 4 uses a verb instead of a noun after 'about'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “complex feelings”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.