Meaning & use
convoluted
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Meaning
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
So complicated that a story, explanation, or process is hard to follow and may seem unnecessarily twisted.
Grammar: Can take more/most; commonly predicative with too or so, or before nouns like plot and explanation.
Patterns
- convoluted explanation
- convoluted plot or argument
- too convoluted to follow
The instructions were so convoluted that we assembled the shelf backward.
She gave a convoluted excuse involving three missed buses and a broken charger.
The novel has a convoluted plot with cousins, secrets, and two forged wills.
Word forms
| comparative | more convoluted |
|---|---|
| superlative | most convoluted |
Common combinations
- convoluted explanation
- No one believed his convoluted explanation for the missing files.
- overly convoluted
- The tax form is overly convoluted for such a small refund.
- convoluted route
- We took a convoluted route around the closed bridge.
Synonyms and how they differ
- complicated
- Neutral; convoluted adds criticism that the complexity is needless or twisted.
- intricate
- Can be positive, suggesting delicate detail; convoluted is usually difficult and negative.
- tortuous
- Literally twisting, and figuratively indirect; convoluted focuses on hard-to-follow complexity.
Opposites
Word family
- convolution noun
- A twist, fold, or complex part; in the brain, a ridge.
- convolute verb
- Rare verb meaning to twist or fold; usually seen in convoluted.
Commonly confused: convoluted or voluminous?
convoluted vs voluminous
Voluminous means large in volume or amount; convoluted means twisted and hard to follow.
Practice
The directions were so ___ that half the class gave up.
Choose one answer.
Convoluted means unnecessarily complicated, which explains giving up. Simple is the opposite idea, while blank and tiny may describe a page but not difficulty in following directions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “convoluted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.