Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb elaborate

4 senses of elaborate

Sense 1
elaborate, lucubrate, expatiate, exposit, enlarge, flesh out, expand, expound, dilate -- (add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; "She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation")
       => clarify, clear up, elucidate -- (make clear and (more) comprehensible; "clarify the mystery surrounding her death")

Sense 2
elaborate -- (produce from basic elements or sources; change into a more developed product; "The bee elaborates honey")
       => produce, make, create -- (create or manufacture a man-made product; "We produce more cars than we can sell"; "The company has been making toys for two centuries")

Sense 3
complicate, refine, rarify, elaborate -- (make more complex, intricate, or richer; "refine a design or pattern")
       => change, alter, modify -- (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue")

Sense 4
elaborate, work out -- (work out in detail; "elaborate a plan")
       => develop, make grow -- (cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development; "The perfect climate here develops the grain"; "He developed a new kind of apple")

Antonyms of adj elaborate

2 senses of elaborate

Sense 1
elaborate, luxuriant -- (marked by complexity and richness of detail; "an elaborate lace pattern")

INDIRECT (VIA fancy) -> plain -- (not elaborate or elaborated; simple; "plain food"; "stuck to the plain facts"; "a plain blue suit"; "a plain rectangular brick building")

Sense 2
detailed, elaborate, elaborated -- (developed or executed with care and in minute detail; "a detailed plan"; "the elaborate register of the inhabitants prevented tax evasion"- John Buchan; "the carefully elaborated theme")

INDIRECT (VIA careful) -> careless -- (marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful; "careless about her clothes"; "forgotten by some careless person"; "a careless housekeeper"; "careless proofreading"; "it was a careless mistake"; "hurt by a careless remark")

Similarity of adj elaborate

2 senses of elaborate

Sense 1
elaborate, luxuriant -- (marked by complexity and richness of detail; "an elaborate lace pattern")
       => fancy (vs. plain) -- (not plain; decorative or ornamented; "fancy handwriting"; "fancy clothes")

Sense 2
detailed, elaborate, elaborated -- (developed or executed with care and in minute detail; "a detailed plan"; "the elaborate register of the inhabitants prevented tax evasion"- John Buchan; "the carefully elaborated theme")
       => careful (vs. careless) -- (exercising caution or showing care or attention; "they were careful when crossing the busy street"; "be careful to keep her shoes clean"; "did very careful research"; "careful art restorers"; "careful of the rights of others"; "careful about one's behavior")