labyrinthine

adjective

lab·​y·​rin·​thine ˌla-bə-ˈrin(t)-thən  -ˈrin-ˌthīn  -ˌthēn 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a labyrinth : intricate, involved entry 1

2

: of, relating to, affecting, or originating in the internal ear

labyrinthine lesions

Synonyms of labyrinthine

• intricate
• complicated
• complicate
• complex
• sophisticated

Examples of labyrinthine in a Sentence

labyrinthine politics that left us totally befuddled

Recent Examples on the Web

Tubi Inside Man (2006) Spike Lee’s labyrinthine thriller stars Denzel Washington as a hostage negotiator and Clive Owen as a bank robber holding customers hostage in a tony Manhattan branch. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Officials are starting to streamline teams for specific response needs – including hundreds of people who may be trapped in labyrinthine hydroelectric power plant tunnels. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

The tête-a-tête between Jack and Nora gets tedious pretty quickly, while as counterparts, Dani, Chad and Bianca are just not smart, sympathetic or interesting enough to sustain our interest in this labyrinthine plot. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026

As the forensic pressure mounted in 2025, King’s defense became technical, even labyrinthine. — Tommy Orange, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for labyrinthine

• acetylene
• adamantine
• adenosine
• amphetamine
• anthropocene
• apoprotein
• aquamarine
• arsphenamine
• azobenzene
• buprenorphine
• catecholamine
• chlorobenzene

Medical Definition

labyrinthine

adjective

lab·​y·​rin·​thine -ˈrin(t)-thən; -ˈrin-ˌthīn  -ˌthēn 

: of, relating to, affecting, or originating in the inner ear

human labyrinthine lesions