it's complicated
/ɪts ˈkɒmplɪkeɪtɪd/
CommonA relationship status that resists definition. Something between together and not together.
Often a deflection. Can mean they actually do not know, or it can mean they know but do not want to explain. Facebook made this a literal status option, which gave it ironic staying power.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | are you two still together? it's complicated | The relationship status is unclear and the speaker is not ready to explain it. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | changed my relationship status to it's complicated and got 47 texts | The ambiguous Facebook status prompted a flood of concerned messages from friends. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | not broken up, not together, not talking, just... it's complicated | The relationship does not fit any standard category. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 04 | she still in my life but idk what we are. it's complicated. | There is a connection and probably feelings involved but no defined status. | reddit, 2024 |
Use it when
- A relationship has real history but no clean current status.
- Deflecting a question about a relationship without giving a real answer.
- Describing a dynamic that is neither together nor broken up.
Do not use it when
- You just have not defined the relationship yet.Use “talking” instead.
- You are officially broken up.
- You are officially together.Use “official” instead.
It's complicated vs situationship
it's complicated
It's complicated implies history and unresolved status, often on-and-off.
VS
situationship
Situationship is an ongoing undefined dynamic, usually earlier in the connection.
Origin and context
Entered mainstream slang as one of Facebook's official relationship status options from around 2004 onward. The phrase existed before but Facebook made it a cultural touchstone and gave it ironic staying power.
- First seen
- mid-2000s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/its-complicatedUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0