Convoluted
/ˈkɒnvəˌluːtɪd/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Convoluted describes something that is not simple but full of twists, turns, or many parts that make it hard to follow or understand. It is often used for ideas, explanations, stories, or plans that are confusing because they are too complex.
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See It in Action
Having many twists and turns, physically or in ideas
- •The plot of the movie was so convoluted that I had trouble following it.
- •The road to the mountain village is convoluted and full of sharp bends.
- •His explanation was convoluted, making it hard to know what he really meant.
Difficult to understand because of complexity or confusion
- •The legal contract was convoluted with many difficult words and conditions.
- •Her argument was so convoluted that no one could follow her reasoning.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "convoluted" like "complicated," but more twisted and hard to follow, like a puzzle with many pieces
- ✓Picture a long, twisting path in a forest that turns left and right many times before you reach the end
- ✓It's the feeling when you try to understand a very long and confusing story or instruction that makes your head spin
- ✓Sounds like "CON-voluted" → imagine a "cone" twisted into many loops like a spiral pasta shape
- ✓Think of a detective story with many confusing clues and false directions that make it hard to solve
- ✓NOT like "simple" (easy and clear), "convoluted" means hard to understand because of many parts or twists
- ✓NOT like "clear" (easy to see or understand), "convoluted" is the opposite—confusing and tangled
- ✓NOT like "complex" (hard but can be clear), "convoluted" often suggests unnecessary or confusing complexity
Try Other Words
- •Complex: having many parts and details (Use when something is difficult but not necessarily confusing)
- •Twisted: physically or mentally bent or turned (Use when emphasizing physical shape or confusing mental ideas)
- •Intricate: very detailed and carefully made (Use when focusing on fine details rather than confusion)
- •Confusing: hard to understand (Use when the main problem is lack of clarity, not just complexity)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "con-" means "together" or "with"
- •Root "volut" comes from Latin "volutus," meaning "rolled" or "turned"
- •Suffix "-ed" turns the word into an adjective describing something that has been rolled or twisted together
- •Origin: From Latin "convolutus," meaning "rolled together" or "twisted"
- •Historically used to describe physical shapes, now often used for complex ideas or explanations that feel twisted or hard to follow
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be too convoluted to be useful? How do you decide when a story or explanation is too hard to understand?
•How do you feel when you hear a convoluted explanation? Does it make you want to ask for simpler words or give up?
Fill in the blanks
1.The instructions were so convoluted that many people ___ the steps correctly.
2.When a story is convoluted, it usually has many ___ and confusing parts.
3.Unlike a simple explanation, a convoluted one often ___ the main idea.
4.He tried to explain the problem, but his words were so convoluted that no one could ___ him.
5.The lawyer’s argument was convoluted ___ full of legal terms and long sentences.
6.A convoluted path ___ many sharp turns and loops before reaching the destination.
7.When someone uses convoluted language, they might want to ___ their meaning clearer.