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Cumbersome vs Complicated - What's the difference?

cumbersome | complicated |

As adjectives the difference between cumbersome and complicated

is that cumbersome is burdensome or hindering, as a weight or drag; vexatious; cumbrous while complicated is difficult or convoluted.

As a verb complicated is

past tense of complicate.

cumbersome

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Burdensome or hindering, as a weight or drag; vexatious; cumbrous.
  • Not easily managed or handled; awkward.
    • Cumbersome machines can endanger operators and slow down production.
  • Hard, difficult, demanding to handle or get around with.
    • A slaves' work was as cumbersome as toiling on the fields, or in the mines.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * cumbersomely * cumbersomeness

    Synonyms

    * cumbrous

    complicated

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Difficult or convoluted.
    • It seems this complicated situation will not blow over soon.
  • *
    • Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […]  Frills, ruffles, flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas.
  • (Biology) Folded longitudinally (as in the wings of certain insects).

    • Antonyms

    * simple

    Verb

    (head)
  • (complicate)
    • The process of fixing the car engine was complicated by the lack of tools.