as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated
spent his first year at the Pentagon just trying to fathom its byzantine workings
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Recent Examples of byzantine
The long-form contract has become a byzantine artifact, a ritual of delay that benefits no one except perhaps the law firms billing hours on both ends.
—
George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Washington—what with its byzantine rules and aggressive gridlock—would not box him in.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
This byzantine corporate structure apparently did not exist until Altman devised it.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The utility has more than 2 million power and water customers and is governed by byzantine rules.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
The layout is byzantine in part because Paramount bought the former rival RKO studio lot from Desilu Productions to create the lot known today.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Enrigue is an erudite, charismatic raconteur—the sort who will tell you the most abject story with a wink—and his novel distills a byzantine swirl of historical events through the lives of a handful of very colorful characters.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The airline industry is a complex beast, and O’Hare is byzantine itself.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Behind the scenes, Florida Division of Emergency Management officials had spent nearly half of last year navigating a byzantine process in an attempt to secure reimbursement for its immigration operations, according to the emails.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Washington—what with its byzantine rules and aggressive gridlock—would not box him in.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
This byzantine corporate structure apparently did not exist until Altman devised it.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The utility has more than 2 million power and water customers and is governed by byzantine rules.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
The layout is byzantine in part because Paramount bought the former rival RKO studio lot from Desilu Productions to create the lot known today.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Enrigue is an erudite, charismatic raconteur—the sort who will tell you the most abject story with a wink—and his novel distills a byzantine swirl of historical events through the lives of a handful of very colorful characters.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The airline industry is a complex beast, and O’Hare is byzantine itself.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Behind the scenes, Florida Division of Emergency Management officials had spent nearly half of last year navigating a byzantine process in an attempt to secure reimbursement for its immigration operations, according to the emails.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byzantine
Adjective
-
The Republican primary field is far more complicated.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2026
-
This summer’s most unlikely wine trend does not involve a rare bottle or a complicated spritz.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
One of the most important traditions is pineapple pole plaiting, in which artisans weave and shape materials into intricate forms.—
Taryn White,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
The intricate family drama uses Christianity as a pillar, but extends outward to explore the sticky nuances and unexpected circumstances that arise amid major life changes.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
These are common but complicate long-term planning for federal agencies.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Despite differing views on a variety of security issues, the group, like Gilpatric’s, reached a clear consensus: nuclear proliferation by any additional country would diminish U.S. power, complicate strategic planning, and increase the likelihood of nuclear use, accidents, and disasters.—
MARIANO-FLORENTINO CUÉLLAR,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The long answer is a little more complex.—
Diana Bocco,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
This single-sensor approach removes the need for the complex calibration typically required when combining separate lidar and camera systems.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The area North Cornwall has plenty of fancy restaurants, but Prawn on the Lawn in Padstow gets the balance right between sophisticated seafood and laidback service.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
As a solo artist, Batmanglij writes in a style that is baroque and sophisticated, and lightly warped in a way that recalls both Paul Simon and Radiohead.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Byzantine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byzantine. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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