1
Interlocking parts
Containing many components whose functions depend on one another.
Example
The clock's intricate mechanism contained hundreds of interlocking parts.
intricate
/ˈɪntrɪkət/ · IN-trih-kuhtadjective
Very detailed and complicated.
Use intricate when many small parts, details, or relationships fit together in a complex arrangement.
What intricate Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Elaborate detail
Displaying a dense pattern of carefully arranged small features.
Example
The manuscript's intricate border combines plants, birds, and geometric forms.
3
Complex relationships
Involving many connected causes, influences, or lines of reasoning.
Example
The study maps the intricate relationship between rainfall, soil, and migration.
Use intricate Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The clock's intricate mechanism required every gear to move in perfect sequence.
Researchers mapped the intricate network of underground roots.
The novel develops an intricate argument through several competing narrators.
Precision Matters
Intricate overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
intricate
vs.Highlights numerous fine, interrelated details.
complex
Broadly means composed of many connected parts.
intricate
vs.Can carry admiration for detailed construction.
complicated
Often stresses difficulty or confusion.
intricate
vs.Focuses on the interdependence of many details.
elaborate
Focuses on extensive development or decoration.
intricate
vs.Need not imply unnecessary difficulty.
convoluted
Often criticises something as excessively twisted or hard to follow.
Test intricate in Context
‘Mutually dependent variables’ and ‘affected nearly every result’ define the kind of complexity.
1
Because the model contained dozens of mutually dependent variables, changing one assumption affected nearly every result; its structure was therefore highly intricate.
As used in the text, “intricate” most nearly means…