intricate

adjective

in·​tri·​cate ˈin-tri-kət 

1

: having many complexly interrelating parts or elements : complicated

intricate machinery

an intricate plot

2

: difficult to resolve or analyze

intricately adverb

intricateness noun

Synonyms

• complicated
• complex
• complicate
• sophisticated

Choose the Right Synonym for intricate

complex, complicated, intricate, involved, knotty mean having confusingly interrelated parts.

complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.

a complex recipe

complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

Examples of intricate in a Sentence

Filigree is an ancient technique that creates an intricate, lace-like pattern through the combination of wire swirls and shapes. —Jeanne Rhodes-Moen, Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Fall 2007

Tsunami generation involves intricate interactions among earthquakes, landslides, and "sympathetic" vibrations between the quake and the ocean above it. —Robert Koenig, Science, 17 Aug. 2001

However, other random processes can be quite intricate; for example, the fluctuating prices of stocks are difficult to explain because there are so many variables and combinations of variables that are influencing the prices. —Lloyd Jaisingh, Statistics for the Utterly Confused, 2000

The movie has an intricate plot.

an intricate machine that requires some training to use it properly

Recent Examples on the Web

On the second day of the fair, Rossini took me on a tour of some of her favorite attractions—a ride on the SkyGlider chairlift, a visit to the crop-art exhibition, which featured several intricate portraits of Taylor Swift made entirely from seeds. —Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

The collection combines the ornate designs and intricate patterns of the Art Nouveau era with the edge and overt defiance of punk culture. —Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

This image depicts intricate frost formations on the frozen surface of Lake Harriet during an Arctic Blast in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 20, 2025. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025

The Glacier Palace is a frozen wonderland of glittering ice tunnels, intricate sculptures, and even an ice slide. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin intricatus, past participle of intricare to entangle, from in- + tricae trifles, complications

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

intricate

adjective

in·​tri·​cate ˈin-tri-kət 

: having many complexly interrelating parts, elements, or considerations : complicated

an intricate design

difficult to solve the intricate puzzle

intricately adverb

intricateness noun