Synonyms of intricate

intricate

adjective

ˈin-tri-kət 

1

as in complicated

having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated

an intricate machine that requires some training to use it properly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• complicated
• complex
• complicate
• sophisticated
• tangled
• elaborate
• convoluted
• labyrinthine
• baroque
• knotty
• involved
• byzantine
• varied
• difficult
• labyrinthian
• daedal
• involute
• multifaceted
• mixed
• heterogeneous
• composite
• multifarious
• challenging
• compound
• overcomplicated
• tough
• overcomplex
• incomprehensible
• inexplicable
• unintelligible
• multipart
• unfathomable
• multibranched
• impenetrable
• Kafkaesque

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simple
• plain
• uncomplicated
• simplistic
• simplified
• noncomplex
• uniform
• homogeneous
• noncomplicated
• oversimplified
• unvaried

2

as in detailed

made or done with great care or with much detail

an intricate hairstyle that requires far too much maintenance to suit my taste

Synonyms & Similar Words

• detailed
• complicated
• elaborate
• complex
• elegant
• sophisticated
• involved
• exquisite
• fancy
• ornate
• magnificent
• extravagant
• splendid
• Byzantine
• showy
• convoluted
• exuberant
• grandiose
• grand
• frilly
• labyrinthine
• flamboyant
• overwrought
• ostentatious
• labyrinthian
• fancified
• involuted
• souped-up
• chichi
• involute
• gimmicked (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• simple
• unsophisticated
• plain
• uncomplicated
• modest
• no-frills
• unfancy
• unadorned
• naked
• bare
• bald
• unvarnished
• undecorated
• plain-vanilla
• plain-Jane

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective intricate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of intricate are complex, complicated, involved, and knotty. While all these words mean "having confusingly interrelated parts," intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

When could complex be used to replace intricate?

In some situations, the words complex and intricate are roughly equivalent. However, complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.

a complex recipe

When is complicated a more appropriate choice than intricate?

The words complicated and intricate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

Where would involved be a reasonable alternative to intricate?

The words involved and intricate can be used in similar contexts, but involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

When might knotty be a better fit than intricate?

The synonyms knotty and intricate are sometimes interchangeable, but knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of intricate

New images were often painted over or alongside older ones, forming a layered and intricate record that developed over time. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026

Designers have proposed a towering structure with multiple rope bridges, intricate metal slides, climbing structures, nets and more. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026

The church’s nave is decorated in the incredibly intricate Manueline style – motifs that pay tribute to the sea trade that made Portugal rich. — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026

Our internal highways are made up of intricate webs of nerves, arteries and glands that snake in and out of our organs. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026