labyrinthine

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or resembling a labyrinth : intricate, involved
2
: of, relating to, affecting, or originating in the internal ear
labyrinthine lesions

Examples of labyrinthine in a Sentence

labyrinthine politics that left us totally befuddled
Recent Examples on the Web Among travelers, its most famous sight is the labyrinthine City Palace complex, an ornate granite-and-marble waterfront fortress that’s practically a town unto itself. Lila Battis, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2023 Asian markets dance with complexity, geopolitics, and a dash of volatility Asian equity markets are taking center stage amidst a labyrinthine economic landscape. Richard Torrenzano, Fortune, 26 June 2023 But as the search for La Tercera becomes increasingly labyrinthine, Rosario’s mother and the entire Delgado family emerge in all their dizzying traitors and heroes, reactionaries and revolutionaries. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 16 May 2023 Bond driving directly from labyrinthine Italian streets to a railroad station, on the flat, in what looks like another town entirely, or emerging from a foggy Norwegian forest into a nice bright day. The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2021 Given the safety requirements and protocols, the setup for the graduation was labyrinthine. Corbett Smith, Dallas News, 30 May 2020 Devs is only the latest in a series of puzzle-box shows more preoccupied with their own cleverness and their labyrinthine twists than with the burden of watchability. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2020 The result of this technique is that Raulff’s text is somehow dreamy but not sentimental; labyrinthine but not frustrating. C. E. Morgan, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2018 Here are five recommendations for purchase that might lead you into your own labyrinthine journey through the wormhole that is Bandcamp. Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'labyrinthine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of labyrinthine was in 1632

Dictionary Entries Near labyrinthine

Cite this Entry

“Labyrinthine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labyrinthine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

labyrinthine

adjective
lab·​y·​rin·​thine -ˈrin(t)-thən; -ˈrin-ˌthīn How to pronounce labyrinthine (audio) -ˌthēn How to pronounce labyrinthine (audio)
: of, relating to, affecting, or originating in the inner ear
human labyrinthine lesions

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