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Complex vs Challenging - What's the difference?

complex | challenging |

As adjectives the difference between complex and challenging

is that complex is made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple while challenging is difficult, hard to do.

As nouns the difference between complex and challenging

is that complex is a problem while challenging is the act of making a challenge.

As verbs the difference between complex and challenging

is that complex is to form a complex with another substance while challenging is present participle of lang=en.

complex

English

(wikipedia complex)

Adjective

(complex number) (en adjective)
  • Made up of multiple parts; composite; not simple.
    • a complex''' being; a '''complex idea
  • * John Locke
    • Ideas thus made up of several simple ones put together, I call complex ; such as beauty, gratitude, a man, an army, the universe.
  • Not simple, easy, or straightforward; complicated.
  • * Whewell
    • When the actual motions of the heavens are calculated in the best possible way, the process is difficult and complex .
  • (mathematics) Of a number, of the form a + bi'', where ''a'' and ''b'' are real numbers and ''i is a square root of −1.
    • complex function
  • (geometry) A curve, polygon or other figure that crosses or intersects itself.

    • Synonyms

    * (not simple) complicated, detailed, difficult, hard, intricate, involved, tough

    Antonyms

    * (not simple) basic, easy, simple, straightforward

    Derived terms

    * complexity * complexness

    Related terms

    * complexion * (mathematics) symplectic

    Noun

  • A problem.
  • A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base.
  • Assemblage of related things; collection.
  • * South
    • This parable of the wedding supper comprehends in it the whole complex of all the blessings and privileges exhibited by the gospel.
  • A psychological dislike or fear of a particular thing.
  • An organized cluster of thunderstorms.
  • (chemistry) A structure consisting of a central atom or molecule weakly connected to surrounding atoms or molecules.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author= Katie L. Burke
    • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= In the News , passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:

    Derived terms

    * military-entertainment complex * military-industrial complex * Oedipus complex * prison-industrial complex * vitamin B complex * protein complex * chelate complex

    Verb

    (es)
  • (chemistry) To form a complex with another substance

    • External links

    * * English heteronyms ----

    challenging

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Difficult, hard to do.

    • Antonyms

    * unchallenging

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of making a challenge.
  • * Estcourt Rowland Metzner, The conflict of tax laws (page 151)
    • There are always sincere challengings of the findings, always the objections (sincere in another sense) of those whose interests seem threatened.

    See also

    * challenge