3 syllables: com, pli, cates. Stress on com.
KAHM-plik-ayts
/ˈkɑmplɪˌkeɪts/
complicates is pronounced KAHM-plik-ayts (/ˈkɑmplɪˌkeɪts/). It has three syllables (com-pli-cates), with the stress on "com". Complicates is a verb meaning to make something more difficult or tangled, or to introduce more factors that raise difficulty. It often occurs in contexts where actions or events add complexity, hindering straightforward outcomes. The term implies adding layers that require extra effort, consideration, or nuance to resolve or understand.
Complicates is a verb meaning to make something more difficult or tangled, or to introduce more factors that raise difficulty. It often occurs in contexts where actions or events add complexity, hindering straightforward outcomes. The term implies adding layers that require extra effort, consideration, or nuance to resolve or understand.
- You may default to COM-pl-ic-ates or COM-PLI-kates instead of using a stable /kəm-ˈplɪ.keɪts/ pattern; focus on the unstressed first syllable as a reduced schwa, not a full vowel. - Avoid elongating the second syllable too much; keep it crisp and primary-stressed to ensure the /ɪ/ and /keɪts/ sequence is heard clearly. - Do not skip the final /ts/ sound; in rapid speech it can become an /s/ or an alveolar stop; practice ending with a clean /ts/ or a sharp /s/ depending on the pace. - When linking into and out of the word, maintain the /k/ and /pl/ consonant cluster with minimal vowel intrusion to keep the word intact.
"The new regulations complicate the process of applying for a permit."
"He didn’t want to complicate the situation, but his comments made things more confusing."
"Economic factors complicate the analysis of the project’s feasibility."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers on a three-syllable pattern with primary stress on the second syllable: com-PLI-cates. The initial /k/ is crisp, the /ɒ/ in some accents becomes more open or reduced to /ɑ/ in unaccented syllables, and the key diphthong is the /aɪ/ in -plia-? Actually, the sequence is /ˈkɒm.plɪ.keɪts/ in British English and /kəmˈplɪ.keɪts/ in US English, with stress on the second syllable “PLI.” The final -cates ends with /keɪts/. In practice, you say: kuhm-PLI-kayts. Listen to native models to hear the exact vowel transitions and the length of the vowel in the second syllable.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (saying com-P-li-cates or COM-pli-cates), mispronouncing the middle vowel as /ɪ/ instead of a clearer /lɪ/ sequence, and softening the final /t/ into /d/ in fast speech. To correct: keep the primary stress on the second syllable (PLI), articulate the /pl/ cluster clearly before the /i/ vowel, and end with a crisp /ts/ or /s/ depending on the speaker’s pace. Practicing with a slow tempo helps stabilize the intended vowel qualities and consonant recovery.
In US English, the stress remains on the second syllable with a clear /plɪ/ and a final /keɪts/. UK English often reduces the first syllable slightly and may feature a shorter, unstressed vowel in the initial syllable, but keeps the /ˈplɪ/ sequence. Australian English tends to be non-rhotic and may have a slightly broader /aɪ/ in the second syllable, with a clear /ts/ at the end. Across accents, the key is preserving the /plɪ/ cluster and the /keɪts/ ending while noting vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in balancing the multi-syllabic structure and the consonant cluster /pl/ immediately followed by a vowel, then the final /keɪts/. Maintaining consistent voicing and timing across the /pl/ cluster and the /keɪts/ coda, plus the mid to high front vowel in the second syllable, can trip speakers up, especially in rapid speech. Focus on the transition from /pl/ to /ɪ/ and then into the diphthong /eɪ/ for a smooth, accurate ending.
Does the word ever reduce vowels in connected speech, such as in rapid conversation? In fast speech, you may hear slight vowel reduction in the first syllable, producing something closer to /kəm-ˈplaɪ-keɪts/ with a reduced first vowel, while the central elements of the second syllable remain prominent. Listening for the stressed second syllable helps confirm correct pronunciation even when the first syllable is shortened.
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US: rhotics are common; you’ll hear the final /s/ pronounced crisply and the second syllable with strong /ɪ/. UK: less rhotic emphasis in some accents; the middle vowel can be slightly shorter, but /plɪ/ remains distinct. AU: non-rhotic tendencies may reduce the r-like quality; maintain a clear /pl/ cluster and end with a crisp /keɪts/. In all, stress on the second syllable and clear /pl/ onset matter most. IPA references: US /kəmˈplaɪ.keɪts/; UK /ˈkɒm.plɪ.keɪts/ or /kəmˈplaɪ.keɪts/; AU /kəmˈplaɪ.keɪts/.
Complicates derives from the Latin verb complicare, meaning to fold together or to entwine. The prefix com- (together) combines with plic-, from plicare, to fold. The root plic- appears in many words related to folding or weaving together, such as complex, duplicate, and implicit. The sense of “to make intricate or difficult” evolved in Middle English from the concept of folding or weaving multiple factors into one situation. The form complicates emerged in English as a third-person singular present tense of the verb, adapting to modern usage with -es for agreement with a singular subject. First known uses appear in English texts from the 15th century, but the metaphorical expansion to “make more difficult” gained prominence during the Renaissance as scholars described complex political and legal processes. Over time, complicates has become a common term in both formal and informal registers, frequently used in academic, legal, and professional writing to describe processes that introduce additional layers of difficulty or confusion. In contemporary English, it is frequently paired with nouns or clauses to indicate added complexity, often after verbs like “increase,” “further,” or “serve to.”
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Words that rhyme with "complicates"
-tes sounds
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