An approximately 2 MDa multi-subunit complex that exhibits ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling activity in addition to histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity, and has been shown to establish transcriptional repression of a number of target genes in vertebrates, invertebrates and fungi. Amongst its subunits, the NuRD complex contains histone deacetylases, histone binding proteins and Mi-2-like proteins.