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
- intricacy noun
- intricately adverb
- intricateness noun
- unintricate adjective
- unintricately adverb
- unintricateness noun
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.
The more intricate Rocky puppet that appears on screen was later designed by Neal Scanlan, a legendary special effects artist, at the Creature Shop in London.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
“For the coffee-lover, the intricate ritual of coffee preparation adds fun and pleasure to life,” he argues.
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026
The intricate patterns and iconic brick walls that once defined the kitchen have fallen into disrepair - plaster peeling from cracked walls and sections of the floor beginning to cave in.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Someone might be enjoying a video of a dog playing with an unusual toy or a video of a chef making an intricate meal.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
She posts a lot of selfies with dramatically contoured cheekbones and intricate eyeliner patterns, and now I can’t stop looking through them.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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.
