intricate
Americanadjective
-
having many interrelated parts or facets; entangled or involved.
an intricate maze.
- Synonyms:
- labyrinthine, tangled, knotty
-
complex; complicated; hard to understand, work, or make.
an intricate machine.
adjective
-
difficult to understand; obscure; complex; puzzling
-
entangled or involved
intricate patterns
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of intricate
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin intrīcātus “entangled,” past participle of intrīcāre “to entangle,” from in- in- 2 + trīc(ae) “perplexities” + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
Explanation
Intricate things are complex and have many elements: they're not simple. Think of the intricate wiring of a computer's motherboard, or the intricate plot of a movie that you have a hard time following. Anything intricate is complicated. Chess is a very intricate game that you could study your entire life and still not know everything about. On the other hand, a game like Connect Four is not very intricate. The more details and parts something has, the more intricate it is. A two-part plan isn't very intricate. A 2000-step plan is intricate; it's harder to wrap your head around.
Vocabulary lists containing intricate
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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List 4
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Witnessing these remarkable events often requires intricate and expensive travel plans.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
“They go deeper, they go wider, they’re more intricate, and they’re more dense,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
These lobed leaves often have intricate, serrated edges.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026
Carr, the director of fun-for-the-whole-family crowdpleasers like “Daddy Day Care” and “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” didn’t exactly seem like the best candidate to take on something as intricate as “Sherman’s March.”
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Above their heads the frozen wheels, barrels, hooks, flies, cams, gears, and all the other intricate parts of Fry’s giant clock.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
