One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Synonyms of elaborate in English:
elaborate
See definition of elaborate
adjective
1‘an elaborate political system’
complicated, detailed, intricate, complex, involved, tortuous, convoluted, serpentine, tangled, knotty, confusing, bewildering, baffling
painstaking, careful
inextricable, entangled, impenetrable, Byzantine, Daedalian, Gordian
rare involute, involuted
simple
2‘an elaborate plasterwork ceiling’
ornate, decorated, embellished, adorned, ornamented, fancy, over-elaborate, fussy, busy, ostentatious, extravagant, showy, baroque, rococo, florid, wedding-cake, gingerbread
informal flash, flashy
plain
verb
1‘both sides refused to elaborate on their reasons’
expand on, enlarge on, add to, flesh out, add flesh to, put flesh on the bones of, add detail to, expatiate on
supplement, reinforce, augment, extend, broaden, develop, fill out, embellish, enhance, amplify, refine, improve