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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In mid-2021, after a solid decade of navigating the labyrinthine American visa system, my wife and I moved to the United States. Jack Barlow, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2025 In this harrowing and labyrinthine masterpiece, Rivera Garza ultimately goes one step further, unsettlingly implicating readers themselves. Katie Kitamura, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025 But by stripping the story down to its core elements — supernatural powers, madness, claustrophobia — Kubrick opened viewers’ minds to a treasure trove of possible interpretations, many of which were compiled in the wonderfully labyrinthine documentary Room 237. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 In the 1986 video game Metroid, players were given a novel amount of freedom, navigating a labyrinthine alien landscape by proceeding in any direction. Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for labyrinthine

Word History

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of labyrinthine was in 1632

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Labyrinthine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labyrinthine. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on labyrinthine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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