add complicating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "add complicating" is not correct and sounds incomplete in written English.
It may be intended to describe the act of introducing complexity or difficulty to a situation, but it lacks clarity without additional context. Example: "The new regulations will add complicating factors to the project timeline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A strident judiciary and the possibility of elections as early as this summer add complicating factors.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

He described the challenge as stark, being recruited to help WhatsApp's engineering team add complicated encryption features to a service used by one billion people.

The Guardian - Tech

However, post-processing techniques add complicated steps after warping in the warped image [6 9].

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

The two most recent Pearlsteins, completed in the last two years, crowd the figures — and the surface — with objects, including a chrome chair that adds complicating reflections.

The New York Times - Arts

As the tide began to turn, thanks to good decision making, luck, perseverance or most likely a combination of all three, Mr. Chang added complicated dishes that were based on his background but influenced by his training.

The New York Times

In the second half two couples — Pablo Sosa and Mariela Maldonado, and Mauricio Celis and Inés Cuesta — added complicated lifts to their numbers and daring speed, their legs cutting and dividing the air like machetes.

The New York Times - Arts

Focus on syncing the footage with the music before adding complicated effects.

WikiHow

There was also an added complicating factor: nationalist sentiment among the annexed republics, which were reluctant to be subsumed by the centralism of the CPSU into Russia, grew with time.

Huffington Post

To which his colleague Bob Schieffer, searching for the appropriate adjective, added, " 'Complicated' is the understatement of the year".

The New York Times

At the Yorkville Community School on the Upper East Side, which opened in 2009 to help alleviate crowding in other neighborhood elementary schools, the layoffs would add a complicating layer to the personnel changes that the principal, Samantha Kaplan, will have to enact in the fall.

The New York Times

Water lilies add a complicating factor to the multitude of possible carbon sources, as atmospheric air is transported from the younger leaves through petioles and rhizome to the older leaves, where most of the CO2 from this transport is photosynthesized [54].

Heritage Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "add complicating" in formal writing. Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "introduce complications" or "add complexity".

Common error

The phrase "add complicating" uses an incorrect verb form. "Add" should be followed by a noun or a gerund (adding), not a present participle acting as an adjective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "add complicating" functions as an attempt to describe the action of introducing elements that increase difficulty or complexity. However, it's grammatically flawed. As Ludwig AI points out, it would benefit from using a different grammatical structure for better clarity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

32%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "add complicating" aims to convey the idea of introducing complexity, it is grammatically incorrect and infrequently used. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase sounds incomplete and would benefit from restructuring. It's better to opt for grammatically sound alternatives such as "introduce complications", "add complexity", or "complicate matters", particularly in formal writing. Although the phrase appears in diverse sources like News & Media and Science, its flawed structure undermines its effectiveness and appropriateness for formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

complicate matters

This alternative directly states the act of making things more complex.

introduce complications

Focuses on introducing new elements that make things harder.

add complexity

Highlights the addition of layers or aspects that increase intricacy.

make more intricate

Emphasizes the increasing of the detailed and complex nature of something.

create difficulties

Highlights the generation of problems or obstacles.

pose challenges

Focuses on presenting new obstacles that need to be overcome.

muddy the waters

Uses a metaphor to describe making a situation less clear and more confused.

convolute the situation

Describes twisting or complicating a situation to make it harder to understand.

obfuscate the issue

Focuses on making an issue unclear, obscure, or unintelligible.

add a layer of complexity

Specifically emphasizes adding an additional level of intricacy.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "add complicating"?

Consider using phrases like "complicate matters", "introduce complications", or "add complexity" for better grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Is "add complicating" grammatically correct?

No, "add complicating" is not grammatically correct. The correct form would typically involve using a noun phrase like "add complexity" or rephrasing the sentence.

How can I use a similar phrase correctly in a sentence?

Instead of "add complicating", use phrases like "This will "complicate the matter"" or "This "adds a complicating factor" to the equation".

Why is "add complicating" considered incorrect?

The grammatical structure is flawed. The verb "add" requires a noun or a gerund, whereas "complicating" is a present participle functioning as an adjective, making the phrase grammatically unsound.