Phrase guide

complex sentence

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sentence that contains an independent clause as well as one or more dependent clauses, such as a relative clause, an adverbial clause, or a noun clause.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A sentence that contains multiple clauses, whether independent (coordinated) or dependent (subordinated); compound or complex sentence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: composite sentence

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a sentence composed of at least one main clause and one subordinate clause

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sentence

Narrower terms: loose sentence, periodic sentence

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: tabeli mürəkkəb cümlə — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Chinese Mandarin: 複句 /复句 (fùjù) — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Finnish: alisteinen yhdyslause — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • French: phrase complexe — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • German: Satzgefüge — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Hungarian: összetett mondat — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Indonesian: kalimat majemuk bertingkat — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Italian: periodo — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Japanese: 複文 (fukubun) — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Korean: 복문 (bongmun) — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Polish: zdanie złożone — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Russian: сло́жное предложе́ние (slóžnoje predložénije) — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Tagalog: hugnayang pangungusap — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Tagalog: langkapang pangungusap — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Thai: สังกรประโยค (sǎng-gà-rá-bprà-yòok) — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Thai: ประโยคความซ้อน (bprà-yòok-kwaam-sɔ́ɔn) — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause
  • Welsh: brawddeg gymhleth — sentence containing one independent clause and a dependent clause