Have A Complex About Something | WordReference Forums

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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. have a complex about something

• Thread starter Thread starter AngieNg
• Start date Start date Jan 11, 2018

A

AngieNg

New Member

Chinese - Hong Kong Hi everyone, I am new in this forum. Nice to meet you all. I am having a question about the meaning of 'have a complex about something'. For example, if I love travelling in developing countries, can I say 'I have a complex about travelling in developing countries'? Just not sure if 'complex' is a positive, negative or neutral word. Please advise the usage. Thanks guys! B

Barque

Banned

Tamil Welcome to the forum. A "complex about" something usually has a negative connotation, and suggests that you are anxious or worried by it or that you think too much about it. I wouldn't use it about something that I enjoyed. An earlier thread: Complex about the word A

AngieNg

New Member

Chinese - Hong Kong Hi Barque, thanks so much for your reply! Sorry did not notice there is a thread about complex already. Learned something new today. Many thanks!

Phoebe1200

Senior Member

Russian-Russia If a guy has large ears and it worries him, can I say: "He has a complex about his ears."?

Truffula

Senior Member

English - USA Phoebe1200, yes.

Phoebe1200

Senior Member

Russian-Russia

Truffula said: Phoebe1200, yes. Click to expand...

Thank you. It's just that in the linked thread in post 2, both Owlman and entangledbank said that 'Have a complex about something' isn't used anymore. So I got confused.

owlman5 said: I don't hear people talk about "complexes" too much these days, but it used to be fairly common. Click to expand...

entangledbank said: 'Have a complex about' was in popular speech formerly. Click to expand...

velisarius

Senior Member

Greece British English (Sussex) Formerly, it was quite common to hear non-experts discussing someone else's "inferiority complex". Nowadays the phenomenon seems to have become even more common, in the form of "low self-esteem".

Truffula

Senior Member

English - USA It's still used in casual writing and conversation. EG this recent article: What my Bethel University professor taught me about sin, activism, and reality | City Pages "But I struggled with the coursework, which I equated with not liking it. And I came from a family of theologians and philosophers, so I had a complex about it." And this one: A Professional Ballet Dancer's Advice Changed How I Motivate Myself to Work Out " There are times when I've had a complex about even putting on workout clothes because my motivation is simply nowhere to be found. "

Phoebe1200

Senior Member

Russian-Russia Thank you. Is there any other way to express it instead of saying "He has a complex about his ears."? A more commonly used alternative? Last edited: Feb 8, 2018

Truffula

Senior Member

English - USA I think "He is self-conscious about his ears." would be a common version in American English. Not sure if it would be equally common in BE.

Phoebe1200

Senior Member

Russian-Russia

Truffula said: I think "He is self-conscious about his ears." would be a common version in American English. Not sure if it would be equally common in BE. Click to expand...

Thank you very much Truffula. Would these be natural and carry the same meaning of having a complex about something? He is insecure about his ears. He has an insecurity about his ears. B

Barque

Banned

Tamil

Phoebe1200 said: He is insecure about his ears. Click to expand...

"He is insecure about" might work in relation to something else, not a body part.

Phoebe1200 said: He has an insecurity about his ears. Click to expand...

This isn't a natural-sounding construction.

Phoebe1200

Senior Member

Russian-Russia

Barque said: "He is insecure about" might work in relation to something else, not a body part. This isn't a natural-sounding construction. Click to expand...

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